


Freezerburn Week 2017

by Moomo



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Fairytale AUs, Freezerburn Week 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-13
Updated: 2017-11-20
Packaged: 2019-02-01 23:37:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 26,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12715173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moomo/pseuds/Moomo
Summary: Freezerburn Week 2017! The prompts are the titles of each chapter. I'm also doing a fairytale AU for each prompt (maybe not the free day though) as well because I thought that would be fun.





	1. Summer’s Night, Winter’s Morning (The Snow Queen)

**First Act: In which the mirror shatters, and the world freezes.**

 

This tale begins with a very lonely princess of the Kingdom of Atlas. The princess’s name is Weiss Schnee, and she is trapped in a very grand but very empty castle. It is summer in Atlas, and the land is bathed in warmth and light. But none of that warmth and light can penetrate the castle’s frigid walls. Weiss’s father, King Jacques, forbids the princess from ever leaving the castle. He fears her strange powers to summon glyphs, so he hides Weiss behind the walls of the castle. The castle itself is large enough and every room furnished to luxury, but the grounds are empty of joy or laughter. The staff avoid the princess, averting their eyes and scurrying past her without so much as a 'hello.' Circumstances have been this way for as long as Weiss can remember; the only spot of sunshine that Weiss has is her one friend, her dragon bodyguard Yang Xiao Long.

 

Yang is a fine and powerful woman. She stands a fair deal taller than Weiss in her human form, punching with her gauntlets Ember Celica. In her dragon form, Yang is quite long and lean, covered in resplendent gold scales fine enough to make the richest rulers green with envy. Dancing through the air as a dragon, Yang looks like a wingless snake with six legs weaving through the sky.

 

Despite Yang’s companionship and optimism, the years wear on Weiss, and she is terribly tired of being contained.

 

“Yang,” Weiss whispers one day as she lays in bed. Yang stands guard at the door, stance firm and intimidating.

 

“Yes, my princess?”

 

“I wish to run away from here,” Weiss admits, voice soft but firm with intent.

 

“Princess-”

 

“We are alone Yang, just call me Weiss please.”

 

“Weiss,” Yang sighs. “You know you can’t. Your father would be furious.”

 

“A chance I’m willing to take if it means escaping this desolate palace,” Weiss decides resolutely. She twirls a lock of her own snow white hair in her between her fingers before turning to Yang once more. “Will you tell my father?”

 

“Of course not,” Yang scoffs. “I’m not a moron.”

 

“Will you run with me?”

 

“I vowed my life to your service. Anywhere you go my princess, I will follow.”

 

The very next day, Weiss and Yang prepare for their escape. Taking nothing but the clothes on their backs, Weiss and Yang sneak to the gardens during the dead of summer’s last night. Yang shifts to her marvellous dragon form, and Weiss climbs onto her back, grasping at her horns for leverage. Yang lifts into the sky, Weiss watching with a growing glee as the castle shrinks behind them. Alas, the cold King Jacques does see them, and he orders his strongest general, Ironwood to give pursuit. General Ironwood rounds up a few men, mounts Atlas’s fastest griffons, and gives pursuit.

 

“They’re gaining on us Weiss,” Yang hisses, lilac eyes flaring red. Yang breathes out a flare of fire at the pursuers, a few of the griffons fleeing at the sight and feel of such a burn.

 

“I’ll stop them,” Weiss states when Yang’s fire fails to repel the last of them. Weiss feels the power of her glyphs activate at her will. Summoning all of her powers, Weiss can feel herself form a glyph larger than anything she’s ever attempted before.

 

“Weiss! Stop! You cannot control something so large!” Yang pleads, eyes wide with fear.

 

But, it is too late! The glyph is beautiful, a giant snowflake so shiny and polished that it can double as a mirror, a mirror so honest and clear that it can reflect the world’s truths on its surface. The glyph grows and grows and grows until it is it dwarfs the moon. Weiss feels so very very tired and so very very faint after expending such power, that her control slips, and the glyph shatters. Shards of icy mirror tear through the air, cutting down General Ironwood and his remaining forces. However, two shards stray, they go hurtling into Weiss’s left eye and her heart.

 

“Maidens!” Yang screams as she watches and feels Weiss fall off of her back, face and chest bleeding. Yang twists in the air avoiding the still flying shards, Yang reaches for Weiss. “Weiss! Please!”

 

“Ugh,” Weiss groans as Yang catches her with a talon. “Yang?”

 

“Don’t talk,” Yang orders. She descends to the ground quickly before shifting into a human again. Yang begins tearing strips of cloth from her scarf in order to bandage Weiss’s face and chest. “We’ll get you help. My sister Ruby, she is a witch. We’ll go to her, and you’ll be fine!”

 

“Okay,” Weiss whimpers in pain. “I trust you Yang.”

 

**Second Act: In which a deal is made, and prices are paid.**

 

After the mirror shattered, winter is unleashed onto the Kingdom of Atlas. The winter steals the last of summer’s lingering warmth. Metres upon metres of snow fall; the entire Kingdom is submerged in winter white. All the citizens freeze, waiting for summer’s warmth to return and melt them.

 

Ruby’s hut exists in a bubble of eternal spring. There, Ruby works her magic, conjures her potions, and observes the Kingdom with a mounting worry.

 

“Yang will come soon,” Ruby murmurs; she can feel her sister’s approach in like fire in her blood.

 

Sure enough, Yang bustles through the front door only minutes later. In her arms is a barely-living and almost frozen Weiss.

 

“Help her,” Yang begs, fire streaming from her mouth in sheer distress.

 

“Lay her on the bed,” Ruby orders, cutting the bandages from Weiss. Ruby takes a moment to study the wounds before speaking. “She summoned the mirror of truth and illusion and broke it. The shards in her eye and her heart are going to freeze her alive from the inside out.”

 

“Please no. Weiss can’t die,” Yang gasps, as if wounded herself.

 

"Anyone can die," Ruby reminds wistfully.

 

“I failed,” Yang then realizes, stumbling backwards. “I was to protect her, and I failed.”

 

Ruby lays a comforting hand on her sister’s arm.

 

“Perhaps not yet,” Ruby ponders aloud. “Perhaps there is a way to fix it.”

 

“Anything!”

 

“All exchanges are equal, and all parties must pay,” Ruby recites her regular practiced speech. “Would you take her place then? You are a dragon; therefore, you won’t die as quickly, but you will suffer.”

 

“Yes,” Yang answers without hesitation. “What would Weiss’s price be? Will she hurt too? How badly? Because if at all possible I can shoulder all of that for both of us.”

 

“Greedy sister,” Ruby chides sadly, “you know I can’t tell you that. Only Weiss can know, and yes, she too must pay. Now we must hurry if we are to save her.”

 

“Okay,” Yang breathes. “Let’s do this.”

 

**Third Act: What is lost? What is forgotten?**

 

Weiss awakens peacefully, as if coming to after a long sweet dream. Funnily enough, Weiss cannot remember her dream; she cannot remember much of anything now that she thinks about it.

 

“I see you’re awake.”

 

“I am,” Weiss agrees. “Where am I? Who are you?”

 

“I am the spring witch, Ruby Rose, and you are in my hut of eternal spring. Now more importantly, who are you?”

 

“I am Weiss Schnee, crown princess to the Kingdom of Atlas,” Weiss answers automatically.

 

“Oh good, you remember a bit,” Ruby sighs, eyes tired and sad.

 

“I remember more,” Weiss whispers, focusing on a slippery little memory, so silvery slick and darting about her consciousness like a minnow. The edges of the memory are only barely visible before slipping away. “Yes! A tall woman with blonde hair? I think so; I feel so drawn to her. Who was she? My friend? My lover?”

 

“So, you can remember her, very good,” Ruby smiles then, but it looks somehow bitter and sad to Weiss. 

 

“No, I can’t- I can’t seem to remember no matter how hard I try,” Weiss groans, pressing a hand to her head.

 

“Wash up,” Ruby orders. “You’ll feel better once you’re clean. I’ve set out clean clothes for you too.”

 

Confused, Weiss stumbles into the bathroom. She washes herself in the basin of warm water provided by Ruby Pausing, Weiss gasps at her reflection. Weiss runs a hand over her left eye, seeing the scar there then the scar on her chest, right over her heart. Weiss groans, her head pounding once again. Once clean, Weiss leaves her old torn up clothes and dons the fresh set that Ruby left for her. Weiss makes her way back to Ruby’s living quarters once dressed.

 

“What do I do?” Weiss asks, voice small and afraid. “I don’t know where to go.”

 

“What do you want to do?” Ruby asks back, passing Weiss a cup of warm tea.

 

“I want to remember,” Weiss decides. “Can you help me do that? Can you tell me what happened? Who that woman is?”

 

“I know,” Ruby admits. “But I cannot tell you, magic doesn’t work like that.”

 

“What?” Weiss barks, offended. “As crown princess of Atlas I order you to tell me what you know!”

 

Ruby breaks out into laughter, which only enrages Weiss more.

 

“The Kingdom of Atlas is completely frozen Weiss, and magic works in ways that you cannot order around,” Ruby giggles. “With an attitude like yours, I wonder how she put up with you.”

 

“Who is- _Ugh! Your attitude is infuriating Weiss!” the woman snaps. She growls and her lilac eyes turn red for a second. “Will you listen to me please?-_ ...she?” Weiss inquires, flinching.

 

“Hmm,” Ruby hums, stirring six cubes of sugar into her tea. “Did you remember something?”

 

“I- I don’t know,” Weiss whispers, pausing to sip at her tea.

 

“Do you want to? Do you want to find her?”

 

“More than anything!”

 

“You can go and just live,” Ruby offers, quiet and resigned. “She would want you to live and be happy. But if you must _know_ , journey to the north. She was taken there.”

 

“Is there nothing else you can tell me?” Weiss whines in a manner most unbecoming of herself.

 

“Unfortunately, no,” Ruby smiles, soft and sad yet again. “But I can give you this.”

 

Ruby presents Weiss with her rapier.

 

“Myrtenaster!” Weiss gasps, taking the weapon. “But how? My father took it when- _No daughter of mine needs such a barbaric thing!” Jacques bellows, snatching Myrtenaster from Weiss. Later, the blonde woman comes to Weiss, dries her tears and promises to get her weapon back-..._ when- I don’t remember.”

 

“It wasn’t me. It was someone very dear to you,” Ruby whispers with a wink. “But it’s best be on your way now. It’s never good to linger.”

 

“Oh, of course. Sorry for wearing out my welcome,” Weiss stammers fishing around her pockets for lien before realizing that she has none.

 

“No need for any of that,” Ruby laughs once she realizes Weiss’s intentions. “If you manage to remember her, to find her, and to save her, then it is I who will be in debt to you.”

 

With those words, Weiss is wrapped in a fur coat and shoved out the door. Ruby’s garden is lovely and warm, but Weiss can see the land beyond her magic’s boundary is icy and cold. Weiss braces herself and marched towards the gate only to be interrupted halfway there.

 

“Salutations friend!”

 

Weiss turns just in time to see a ginger woman with an armful of flowers and other plants approach her.

 

“Friend?”

 

“Well, if you are Ruby’s friend, then you are my friend,” the woman explains with a cherry grin.

 

“Umm, who are you?” Weiss asked, confused.

 

“I am Penny. I am Ruby’s wife. I am here to give you these to take with you and help you on your journey.”

 

Penny finishes speaking and hands Weiss a sprig of rosemary.

 

“Rosemary,” Penny states. “Rosemary for remembrance.”

 

“Oh, well I-”

 

“Take it! I insist!” Penny tucks the herb in Weiss’s cloak pouch.

 

“Thank you,” Weiss yields. “I must go now, really.”

 

“Of course! Come back soon!” Penny calls out to Weiss’s retreating form. “Good luck.”

 

**Fourth Act: The cat and the monkey**

                                                

Weiss trudges through the snow. Ruby’s gifted cloak keeps her perfectly warm and snug, but she cannot shake the fatigue that creeps into her limbs and settles there. Seeing a snow-covered log, Weiss plops down on it most ungracefully.

 

“Ugh!” Weiss groans, slapping both hands down on the log and shaking it.

 

“Troubled miss?” A velvety smooth voice rings out as a black cat leaps onto the log besides Weiss.

 

Weiss stares at the cat, and the cat stares back. Weiss shrieks.

 

“A talking cat!”

 

“Yes, and you just came from the spring witch’s house, so are you really that surprised? Do you know it is considered quite rude to yell?” the cat inquires with a swish of the tail. “Or perhaps you are just a manner-less heathen. My name is Blake, and you are Weiss.”

 

“How do you know who I a-”

 

“And you are journeying to the north.”

 

Weiss pauses to evaluate her situation; she looks over Blake, the cat is a sleek black little thing with the sharpest amber eyes.

 

“Can you help me?” Weiss asks hopefully.

 

Just as Blake is about to answer, a veritable pile of snow is plopped on Weiss and Blake, the branch above them dumping its contents on their heads.

 

“Sun!” Blake screeches, and a monkey hangs himself upside down right in front of Weiss’s face, causing Weiss to shriek again and fall backwards, off the log, and headfirst into a heap of snow.

 

“Oh my,” the monkey -who Weiss assumes is named Sun- says. “Let me help you.” Sun hops onto the log and pulls Weiss back up, brushing the snow off of her. Weiss swats Sun away, brushing the snow off of herself in a huff.

 

“No good monkey rapscallion,” Weiss huffs some more.

 

“Settle down,” Blake sighs, licking the snow out of her fur and giving Sun a quick little warning swipe with her paw only, no claws. “He might be annoying, but he means you no harm. He’s actu-”

 

“Yeah! I just want to help!” Sun cuts Blake off with a grin. “What’s wrong Princess Schnee?”

 

“I am no longer a princess,” Weiss recounts, “for Atlas is frozen, and I ran away from home.”

 

“Oh,” Sun gasps. “Tell us more! We must know!”

 

And that monkey’s face just looks so darn earnest that Weiss has to tell. She tells Blake and Sun the whole story that she can remember, the mirror, the shards, the witch, and the hollow feeling of loss when she tries to pry deeper into her mind about the woman with the beautiful blonde hair.

 

“Blonde hair?” Blake asks. “What else do you r-”

 

“We saw a woman like that pass by here not long ago,” Sun interrupts. “But she was with the Bandit Queen.”

 

“The Bandit Queen?” Weiss asks.

 

“Raven Branwen,” Blake answers with a shudder. “A dreadful woman who lives in a dreadful ice palace in the middle of her dreadful bandit camp.”

 

“She told us she was taking her daughter home,” Sun chatters, swishing his tale from side to side.

 

“Her daughter?” Weiss asks. “Who is her dau-”

 

Weiss’s question is cut off by a splitting pain in her head.

 

_“The weather is lovely my princess.”_

_“Yang,” Weiss sighs, “the garden is empty. Sit with me. Have some tea.”_

_“Is that an order my princess?” Yang asks with a grin._

_“Yes. It is,” Weiss rolls her eyes but smiles, pouring Yang a cup of chrysanthemum tea._

_“Thanks, Weiss; you're such a **sweet tea**. Get it? Sweetie?”_

 

_Weiss chooses to ignore Yang, sipping on her tea instead; Yang gives up and settles on her tea as well._ _The pair sip their tea in rare silence, the warmth of the summer night settling into their bones._

_“My form is getting better,” Weiss says, looking to Yang for approval._

_“It is,” Yang agrees, “but you are far from being competent. Your stance is too narrow and therefore unbalanced.”_

_“Hey!” Weiss cries, indignant. “At least I don’t fight with my fists like an undignified brute! What would someone like you understand about swordplay anyway?!”_

_“Weiss!” Yang hisses, slamming her tea down. “Learn to take some criticism! Do you want me to kiss your ass? Tell you that you’re the greatest? How will you ever learn that way?”_

_“Keep your voice down!” Weiss orders, panicking and looking around the garden for her father. “You know that father would be so cross with me if he found out I was learning to fight.”_

_“You don’t need to anyways,” Yang snorts. “You’ve got me; do you not trust me? Why do you want to learn so badly anyways?”_

_Weiss stares at Yang, at the still fresh wound on her collarbone from where she took an arrow for Weiss before disabling the would-be assassin. The wound was so deep, that Weiss saw the flawless white of Yang’s bone; the cut will scar. Weiss whirls her head away; she doesn’t ever want to feel that helpless ever again, doesn’t want Yang to take another hit like that ever again._

_“Personal interest,” Weiss lies._

 

“Remembering something?” Blake asks, jumping onto Weiss’s shoulder and butting her kitty head against Weiss’s human one.

 

“Yang Xiao Long,” Weiss whispers. “Her name is Yang.”

 

“It is the dead of winter,” Blake purrs, “and you have forgotten.”

 

“Yang has too,” Sun chimes in. “She has forgotten everyone but the Bandit Queen, and soon she will die from it.”

 

“Die?” Weiss whimpers.

 

“Yes,” Blake meows. “For there is ice in her eye and ice in her heart. She sees only illusions and feels no love or warmth. Sh-”

 

“Yang suffers in her loved one’s stead,” Sun finishes, avoiding Blake’s claws as she retaliates for being interrupted yet again.

 

“Loved one?” Weiss asks, a strange burn in her chest. “Who is that?”

 

“Hmm, now that would be telling, and I’m not a snitch,” Blake trills, jumping off of Weiss’s shoulder to dig at the snow. “But when she passed by, we talked, and she gave me these.” Blake unearths a pair of frozen bright yellow gauntlets.

 

Weiss sinks to her knees off of the log and onto the ground. Hands trembling, Weiss lifts the gauntlets.

 

“Ember Celica,” Weiss whispers. “These are Emb- _They’re pretty great, aren’t they?” Yang asks, flexing as she shows off her weapons. Weiss’s eyes trace the lines of Yang’s biceps before blushing and turning away. “Yeah, whatever-..._ I- I don’t understand. What am I feeling? Why do I feel this way?”

 

“So many questions, so little time,” Blake meows and paces at Weiss’s feet, rubbing herself against the leather boots. “We should get moving if we want to make it on time.”

 

“We?” Weiss sniffles, she runs her hands along Ember Celica’s ice cold metal edges. Trembling, Weiss latches the gauntlets onto her wrists. Weiss has severely underestimated the weight of the gauntlets, and her arms fall to her sides. The cold metal bites, but Weiss endures. Putting all her effort into it, Weiss lifts her arms again, examining the shining yellow metal.

 

“Sure,” Sun says, wrapping his tail around Weiss’s leg and tugging. “We’ll take you to the bandit camp.”

 

“But no further!” Blake hisses, puffing up. “I have no desire to see the bandit queen again!”

 

“Blake here pounced on her thinking she was a regular old raven, and BAM!” Sun laughs, dodging Blake’s paw with claws extended.

 

“Sun!” Blake hisses and spits at Sun who pays her no mind. “Let’s get this one to the bandit camp.”

 

Weiss follows the strange little cat and monkey, walking for many days and nights until they reach a sharp and jagged rocky ridge. The days and nights of consistently wearing Ember Celica has Weiss build up her upper body strength, the gauntlets now un-noticeable in their weight on her wrists.

 

Weiss looks down the ridgeline, the terribly sharp and angular rocks with their great heights. A fall would mean certain death.

 

_“Are you afraid of heights my princess?” Yang asks Weiss as they sit in the tallest tower of the palace._

_“I’m not,” Weiss says, transfixed by the view, the sheer altitude. “Are you?”_

_“I wouldn’t be a very good dragon if I was afraid of something as petty as height.”_

_“I suppose it was a stupid question to ask you. Why are you my guardswoman anyways? You flew into my courtyard, shifted into a human, beat every stationed guard in a fight, and demanded from my father the honour of serving me,” Weiss recounts. “Where did you come from? Why are you, a dragon, here serving me, a mere mortal? It’s been a full year in my service Yang, I wish to know some answers.”_

_“I came from the east. My father told me to go west, and I would find what I was looking for.”_

_“And you found me.”_

_“I found you.”_

 

“We must be leaving now,” Blake says, swishing her tail irritably at the thought of the Bandit Queen.

 

“Yes yes,” Sun tuts. “My bananas ought to be done by now. I planted them last summer I’ll have you know.”

 

“I wouldn’t want to keep you from your... bananas.” Weiss says. “Thank you for leading me here.”

 

“Well it would have been an easier trip if we could’ve flown,” Sun sighs, and Weiss feels a prickly pain in her skull yet again.

 

_“Will you fly for me?” Weiss asks out of the blue one day._

_“I am not a performing monkey Weiss,” Yang responds flatly. “I will not fly for you.”_

_“My apologies then, I didn’t mean to offend,” Weiss backtracks._

_“But I will fly with you,” Yang counter offers, shifting and present her back to Weiss._

_Yang flies steady, Weiss eventually feeling safe enough to let go of one of Yang’s horns. Weiss grins as they fly over the castle but not out it; the walls look so small and insignificant from so far up._

 

 “We must leave now, Sun and I,” Blake’s voice pulls Weiss from her memory. “I have kittens you know? They are waiting for me; I mustn’t keep them waiting for much longer. They’ll be expecting their good old Uncle Sun as well.”

 

“Her kittens are monsters! Tail pullers and biters, the lot of them,” Sun whispers, shuddering and clutching his tail. “Good luck princess.”

 

With that, the odd duo are off, and Weiss is left all alone.

 

“Courage,” Weiss wishes to herself, as she begins to scale the rocks in order to enter the camp.

 

**Fifth Act: The Robber Maiden**

 

The bandit camp is visible, the winds pick up, and the whips of icy air burn terribly on Weiss’s exposed face. Quite suddenly, a bolt of lightning strikes the rock formation next to Weiss. The rock explodes, a maelstrom of noise and dust, and Weiss shields her face with her arms. Ember Celica takes most of the damage.

 

“Who goes there?” a voice booms out. “Turn back or face my wrath!”

 

“Stop! I come in peace!” Weiss shouts back, eyes wildly scanning for any sign of people. Through the ruined rock dust, Weiss can see the shadows of a gathering of a dozen or so people.

 

“I warned you!” the voice bellows again, and that is all the warning Weiss receives before lightning is hurtled straight to her face. Weiss covers her face with her arms, fully prepared to fry. When Weiss slowly realizes that she has not indeed fried, she opens her eyes. Electricity fizzles and dissipates over Ember Celica’s surface.

 

_“I’ll always protect you my princess. I promise.”_

 

Grinning, Weiss unsheathes Myrtenaster and lunges into the unknown.

 

_“Remember your training Weiss. Head up, shoulders back, right foot forward - not that forward! - slow your breathing, wait for the right time to strike, and... Now!”_

_Myrtenaster clashes with Ember Celica._

_“Good form!” Yang grunts, pushing back. “But you lack power.”_

_“Power isn’t everything,” Weiss counters, seeing an opening and taking out Yang’s left knee with a sweeping kick._

_Yang lands on her back, winded._

_“Good?” Weiss smirks._

_“Excellent.”_

 

Glyphs and rapier in hand, Weiss manages to take down a few bandits, disarming them with a few quick parries and thrusts.

 

“Enough!” the voice bellows again, lightning flashing. “Who are you? What do you want?” The voice’s owner steps forward, a rough looking woman with a scowl.

 

“I am Weiss Schnee,” Weiss introduces herself. “I am here to find someone; I am here to find Yang Xiao Long. Now, who are you?”

 

“I am Vernal,” the woman snarls, “and we do not allow outsiders into our midst. You may have fought well, but you must leave now.”

 

“I will leave when I find who I am looking for,” Weiss states, voice cool and contained.

 

“You will leave now!” Vernal orders, lightning buzzing on her skin.

 

“She will die!” Weiss pleads. “Please, let me save her! Take me to the Bandit Queen and let me save her daughter!”

 

“How do you know these things?” Vernal growls, but the lightning dancing and sparking on her skin disappears.

 

Weiss tells her whole story, all the parts she can remember. The bandit camp listens, eyes darting between Vernal and Weiss. Vernal has an impressive poker face, her facial expression betraying nothing.

 

“That is my story,” Weiss finishes. “Now, please take me to Yang!”

 

“Hm,” Vernal considers before reaching a conclusion. “Everyone, to camp! Schnee, you will come with us. But you are not to wander out of my sight, and I have yet to decide if you are worthy of meeting my Queen.”

 

“Thank you!” Weiss smiles, following everyone back to camp. The camp turns out to be a series of thick, wind resistant tents. Weiss follows Vernal into hers.

 

“Crown Princess Schnee,” Vernal mocks, facing Weiss.

 

“I’m no longer a princess,” Weiss informs cooly. “I gave up that title when-

 

_“I did it! Weiss cheers, the glyph fading._

_“Very good,” Yang claps. “I’m impressed. Your glyphs and swordplay have improved greatly.”_

_“Do I get a reward?” Weiss asks coyly. “Anything I want?”_

_“Um sure. What do you want my princess? I can get the cooks to make your favourite for dinner.”_

_“I want a kiss,” Weiss saunters up to Yang, getting into her personal space._

_“Anything but that,” Yang says, stepping away from Weiss professionally._

_“Why?” Weiss whines. “It’s just a little kiss, so why not?”_

_“Because I am your bodyguard, and you are a princess,” Yang explains. “It is simply not proper or allowed.”_

_“I never thought I’d hear you say something about propriety!” Weiss snaps, crossing her arms and huffing. Weiss is not used to not getting what she asks for (expect the whole leaving the castle thing)._

_“It’s the way things have to be,” Yang declares firmly. “Now run through the set again while we still have time.”_

_“Fine,” Weiss barks back, mood ruined. “Whatever.”_

 

-I... Just call me Weiss.”

 

“Well Weiss, you have some pretty big balls just walking into my Queen’s camp like that,” Vernal sneers. “Demanding to see her, demanding to see her daughter.”

 

“ _My Queen_?” Weiss ponders aloud. “Is that how people usually address the royalty whom they serve? Do you love her or something?”

 

“The blazes?! Where did that come from?!” Vernal sputters, her face bright red, voice shifting from cold and authoritative to sharp and flustered.

 

“Hm, no reason. Just curious, comparing experiences and whatnot.”

 

“Nosy girl,” Vernal spits, face still a bright and jolly red.

 

“It must be nice,” Weiss ponders aloud, “to be so sure of your feelings. Must be nice to remember.”

 

“I will fry you for your insolence,” Vernal bites out.

 

“And then Yang will die too, and _your_ Queen will be short a daughter,” Weiss points out.

 

“How do you know all this brat?”

 

“Does it matter?” Weiss shrugs. “Take me to your Queen; take me to my Yang.”

 

Vernal glares at Weiss, and Weiss glares back, holding her ground.

 

“Tch,” Vernal scoffs, turning away. “My Queen lives in a frozen palace at the very tip top of this mountain. If you wish to meet her, you must climb the mountain yourself. I will give you a reindeer, but nothing else!”

 

“Thank you,” Weiss accepts Vernal’s offer graciously.

 

“It will be cold,” Vernal informs. “I hope you can keep yourself warm.”

 

“I can. I know th-

 

_“Are you crying my princess,” Yang asks, trying to peer at Weiss’s face._

_“No,” Weiss sniffles, hiding behind her hands._

_“What’s wrong?” Yang sighs, pulling Weiss’s hands away._

_“I-I am lonely here,” Weiss admits. “The only person to talk to me is you Yang. It’s so empty and cold here.”_

_“Hmm,” Yang thinks a bit before pulling Weiss into her arms._

_“What? Unhand me-” Weiss sputters only to be cut off by a surge of warmth. “What’s going on?”_

_“I’m a dragon,” Yang explains, her irises red and glimmering. “If you’re cold again, just ask. I’ll warm you up.”_

 

-ugh,” Weiss groans, pressing at her forehead.

 

“Are you ignoring me? Are you daft!?” Vernal snaps as Weiss gets her bearings again only to be roughly shoved. “Now move! I do not want you in this camp a second longer than necessary!”

 

**Sixth Act: The Long and Lonely Road**

The reindeer is not a smooth ride like a horse, and Weiss feels awkwardly jolted around. The mountain is tall, but the castle at the summit is huge. However, as much as the reindeer trundles forward, the target never seems to get closer; it’s rather discouraging.

 

The frigid cold and cutting winds hurt Weiss as the very world around her rages and freezes. Weiss uses this time as a reflection period of sorts, piecing her recovered memories together and attempting to gain new ones.

 

“What were we?” Weiss mutters to herself. “She was my bodyguard, and I, her princess. But was that all we were?”

 

The reindeer snorts.

 

“That was most uncalled for,” Weiss sniffles. “If you don’t have anything constructive to say, I would recommend you refrain from commenting at all.”

 

The reindeer shakes his head, antlers waving to and fro. The tips of the antlers sway like the thick brown cat tails in Weiss’s garden. The reeds moving along in the warm summer nights like a waltz of-

 

_“Waltz with me,” Weiss orders suddenly, jumping up and pulling Yang into standing beside her. The night air is warm and light, one of this summer’s best._

_“There’s no music,” Yang states, but pulls Weiss into her arms anyways._

_“I’ll sing,” Weiss adjusts her arms in Yang’s and begins to move and sing._

_Weiss tires quickly; singing and dancing simultaneously impossible to maintain. Even when Weiss falls silent, Yang and her continue to sway._

_“Yang,” Weiss whispers, nuzzling into Yang’s shoulder._

_“Yes?”_

_“If we weren’t princess and bodyguard, if we were just Yang and Weiss, would you kiss me then?”_

_Yang freezes, limbs stiff; she tries to pull away, but Weiss clings._

_“Weiss,” Yang warns. “This is a line of conversation that I do not wish to follow.”_

_“Please Yang, just answer my question.”_

_Yang scowls, turning her face away from Weiss._

_“Yes,” Yang finally admits. “But you are still crown princess, and I am still your bodyguard. It does nobody any good to chase impossibilities.”_

_Weiss grins like a fool, focusing only on Yang’s affirmative answer._

“It’s me,” Weiss realizes numbly. “It was always me.”

 

**Seventh Act: The Bandit Queen**

Weiss reaches the ice castle’s doors in the darkest of night. Dismounting the reindeer, Weiss marches up the stoop and pushes the door right open.

 

“Hello?” Weiss calls, walking into the castle.

 

“How rude, don’t you know how to knock?”

 

Weiss gasps, the doors slam closed, and Weiss whirls around, looking for the source of the voice.

 

“Oh! Honestly!”

 

A raven with bright red eyes swoops down before Weiss. Landing on the floor, the bird disappears in a storm of black feathers only to re-emerge as a human woman with a severe expression.

 

“Raven?” Weiss guesses.

 

“ _You_ will call me the Bandit Queen,” Raven states. “And you will leave my castle immediately.”

 

“I am here for Yang,” Weiss pleads. “She is going to die and I-”

 

“You are the one responsible for that!” Raven screams now, trembling with anger.

 

“I-I...I never intended-”

 

“Your intentions are irrelevant,” Raven caws. “You ran, and you took Yang with you. Her foolish father, a curse on Tai, told her she was to find you and protect you in order to save the world from freezing. Damn that man and his prophecies!”

 

Weiss looks on, watching Raven rave and rant and pace.

 

“And you had to run and freeze the world anyways,” Raven continues, anger rising. “You fell in love with my daughter and dragged her into this frozen wasteland! Now Yang will freeze and perish for it! Ha-”

 

“Enough! I can’t stand anymore of your self-righteous prattle!” Weiss yells, shocking Raven into silence. “Yes, you are correct. I selfishly ran. I ran because I wanted Yang to love me, to be with me. My thought process was simplistic and shortsighted. I didn’t think about the all the possible consequences, and that was wrong of me.”

 

Weiss pauses to collect and process her thoughts into an intelligible sentence.

 

“However, Yang made her own choices too,” Weiss whispers, voice thin. “She chose to ask Ruby to save me, chose to suffer in my stead. Yang made those choices of her own volition because she loves me too.”

 

Raven makes a derisive noise, rolling her eyes.

 

“Please take me to Yang,” Weiss asks again. “I can help! I can save her! I know I can!”

 

“And how could you possibly know something like that?” Raven scoffs. “Yang doesn’t remember you anyways. Yang doesn’t remember anything or anyone anymore, me included, so how could _you_ possibly be the one to save her?”

 

“Because I am Weiss Schnee, and I have journeyed all this way to find Yang,” Weiss argues, voice quivering with emotion. “I awoke to a hole in my mind and my heart, a hole where Yang once was, but I remember now. I have learned how to remember; therefore, I can teach Yang how to as well.”

 

Raven studies the girl in front of her. Raven narrows her eyes, but Weiss holds her gaze until Raven turns away.

 

“Fine. Follow me.”

 

Raven shifts back into a bird, flying through the halls of the castle with Weiss on her heels (talons?). Eventually, the pair reach a grand room. Raven shifts again, walking into the centre of the room where a block of ice lays. Upon closer inspection, Weiss is horrified to see that the block of ice is indeed Yang.

 

Yang is blue and pale all over, her hair dull and frozen as well. Yang is barely breathing, her face expressionless and eyes unblinking.

 

“I will leave you two,” Raven sighs, shifting again to a bird and flying away.

 

“Thank you,” Weiss calls to the bird before turning back to Yang. “It’s almost morning,” Weiss murmurs to herself.

 

Looking over her love’s condition, Weiss’s heart breaks.

 

“Yang!” Weiss cries, falling to her knees and pulling Yang into a hug and sitting her up.

 

“These are yours,” Weiss offers, taking off Ember Celica and putting them on Yang’s wrists instead. “Thank you for them. They protected me.”

 

Yang doesn’t respond.

 

“Here!” Weiss frantically pulls out the rosemary and presses it into Yang’s hands. "It grew in your sister's garden! Ruby Rose! She misses you!" The green of the herb provides a sharp contrast to Yang’s pallor, and Weiss feels sick.

 

Yang doesn’t respond.

 

“It’s me,” Weiss whispers, looking into Yang’s eyes. “It’s Weiss Schnee. Yang, please talk to me.”

 

Yang doesn’t respond.

 

“Yang,” Weiss cries, jaw trembling. Weiss bursts into tears, sniffling and sobbing as well.

 

Clutching Yang, Weiss cradles her like a child. Weiss’s tears run down her cheeks, dripping onto Yang. A tear lands on Yang’s left eye; another tear lands on her heart right over her chest.

 

“I love you Yang,” Weiss sobs. “Please don’t leave me all alone.”

 

The shards of ice-glass in Yang’s eye and heart melt. Weiss gasps, breathless as Yang thaws out, colour returning to her person.

 

“Ugh,” Yang groans, shaking her head. “Weiss? Where are we?”

 

“Yang!” Weiss cheers, tackling Yang onto the floor in a hug.

 

“Whoa! Weiss! Calm down,” Yang hugs Weiss back though.

 

“I was so scared,” Weiss sniffles. “I thought you were gone. I thought you’d left me all alone.”

 

“Silly Weiss,” Yang soothes, running her hand’s through Weiss’s hair. “I would never leave you.”

 

“Promise?”

 

“Promise.”

 

Outside, dawn’s light breaks. The winter morning is bright and clear, as things begin to thaw; it’s a good day for a fresh start.


	2. Family (East of the Sun and West of the Moon)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> East of the Sun and West of the Moon is a Norwegian fairy tale.

There is a poor blacksmith who lives in the woods of the island of Patch by the name of Tai Yang Xiao Long. He lives with his two darling daughters, Yang Xiao Long and Ruby Rose. Though the Xiao Long-Rose household is poor in lien, they are rich in love; the strength of their family bonds are remarkable. Tai loves his daughters more than he loves his own life, and Yang and Ruby love each other even more than that.

 

Yang and Ruby grow up joined at the hip. Where ever Yang goes, Ruby follows. They spend their childhood years exploring the woods by their cabin and splashing in the stream. Their childhood is happy one, and the sisters grow into lovely young women.

 

Alas, happiness is transient, and little Ruby falls ill on the winter of her sixteenth year. The doctors cannot heal her, and Ruby withers away to a shell of her old self. Tai and Yang are heartbroken; they do whatever they can to make little Ruby comfortable.

 

Then one evening, a terrible pounding comes on the door of the old log cabin. When Tai opens the door, there is a great white bear standing on his porch.

 

“Hello,” the bear says unassumingly.

 

“Hello,” Tai returns, awestruck.

 

“I am aware that you have a daughter, Ruby Rose, who is quite ill,” the bear offers sympathetically.

 

“That is correct,” Tai agrees cautiously; he faintly wonders if he is hallucinating.

 

“I am here with an offer,” the bear declares. “I will use my magic to heal your daughter Ruby, but for a price.”

 

“Anything!” Tai jumps at the offer eagerly.

 

“I want your eldest daughter, Yang.”

 

“Anything but her.”

 

Now Tai gets quite cross, for he does not like the idea of anyone or any bear coming to take his children from him. Tai is ready to slam the door on the now unwelcome guest, but unbeknownst to him, Yang has been eavesdropping the whole time. Revealing herself, Yang walks up the door with purpose.

 

“I accept,” Yang yields. “I will go with you, and you will heal my baby sister.”

 

“Yang, I forbid you from doing such a thing!” Tai yells, trying in vain to stop his daughter.

 

“This is not your decision dad,” Yang reminds him firmly. “There is nothing I won’t do for Ruby, for my family. I love my sister.”

 

“Fine,” Tai agrees after seeing the fire in Yang’s eyes. He knows his daughter well enough to understand that this is an argument that he cannot win.

 

“If that is decided then, you will come with me,” the bear speaks to Yang. “Do not worry, come tomorrow morning, Ruby will wake up from her sleep as healthy as she has ever been; I guarantee it. Hurry now, I don’t have all the time in the world.”

 

Hugging her father and kissing him on the cheek, Yang throws on her coat and boots, running after the bear.

 

“Get on my back,” the bear orders kneeling so Yang could mount.

 

Yang climbs aboard the bear, holding tight to the animal’s pristine white fur. The fur is thick and luxurious, and Yang feels quite warm and comfortable snuggled up in it.

 

“Are you afraid?” the bear asks.

 

“No,” Yang answers quite honestly. “I am confused, and a bit nervous. But I am not afraid because now Ruby is safe.”

 

“Brave girl. Well then, hold tight to my coat, and there will be nothing to fear,” the bear grunts and the conversation ends with that.

 

The bear charges forward now, moving incredibly fast, faster than any horse Yang had ever seen. Holding tight like instructed, Yang takes time to look around then; she observes the landscapes as they race past her. The bear continues to move rapidly, faster than Yang has knew was possible. The pair race past snowy plains, a frozen ocean, and great forests.

 

Eventually, the bear reaches a great and rocky mountain. Climbing the rocky face, the bear reaches a grand set of doors, hewn right into the mountainside. With a mighty knock, the doors open, revealing a splendid castle in the mountain. The rooms in the castle light up all at once, Yang ‘ooooing’ and ‘ahhhing’ as she looks around the beautiful palace.

 

“Here,” the bear grunts, dropping a silver bell into Yang’s hands from their mouth. “If you should ever require anything, simply ring this bell.”

 

With those words, the white bear disappears leaving Yang standing in the entranceway.

 

“Well that’s rude,” Yang scoffs, removing her boots and outerwear. “Slippers would be nice. Knowing where to hang these would also be nice.”

 

Feeling the weight of the silver bell in her hand, Yang rings it. Instantaneously, her outerwear disappears, and slippers appear on her feet.

 

“Oh, _nice_. Um, I’d like to eat too,” Yang rings the bell again, and she finds herself seated at a grand table set with many fine foods.

 

Yang stuffs her face most ungracefully with roasted meats and fine wines. Tummy full, Yang rings the bell again and finds herself in a soft nightgown, tucked into a warm bed.

 

“I could get used to this,” Yang sighs, snuggling into the sheets and drifting off to sleep.

 

Yang is jolted awake at the feel of someone else crawling into bed with her. Yang reaches for a candle, her bell, anything really but is unable to find something. Heart racing, Yang freezes as the mysterious figure settles in and stops moving.

 

Yang evaluates her options.

 

_‘Well, they’re not doing anything really. Maybe I’m dreaming. I’m probably dreaming.’_

Satisfied with her conclusion, Yang drifts back to sleep.

 

The next day, Yang takes to wandering the castle halls. She sees no servants, no maids, no anybody really, but she finds a forge. Being Tai’s daughter, Yang is a knowledgeable and skilled blacksmith. Seeing nothing else to do, Yang begins forging things to entertain herself. In the following days she starts off with blades before turning her sights to more a complex project.

 

And so, the pattern emerges. Every day, Yang spends her time in the forge, creating a beautiful and deadly weapon; the bear comes to watch most days. Yang and bear learn to carry on a conversation over time; Yang finds the bear to be quite genuine and kind under their shell of snark and prickliness.

 

“I know I’ve been calling you ‘Bear’ for a while now,” Yang starts a conversation one day while she takes a break from forging, “but what is your real name?”

 

“I have no 'real name,' not now,” the bear grunts. “I have yet to earn it back. 'Bear' suits me just fine.”

 

“I know very little about you Bear,” Yang notices. “That’s hardly fair, given how much you know about me.”

 

The bear grunts again.

 

“What’s your favourite food? You never eat with me. What do you do in your free time, aside from watch me work with metal that is?”

 

“All irrelevant questions,” the bear snorts. “You know all you need to know about me.”

 

“Hmpf,” Yang pouts.

 

“Let me ask you a question now Yang,” the bear says, voice deep and rumbling. “Are you happy here?”

 

“Oh,” Yang pauses to consider the question. “It's bear-able."

 

The bear snarls in displeasure.

 

"I mean, I’m well fed and there is lots to do," Yang tries again. "You’re also pretty decent company, so I guess I am. It was a good trade-off, our deal.”

 

“Good,” the bear sighs, voice steeped in relief. “I’m glad.”

 

“Awww,” Yang coos. “You’re sweet! You’re just a big old teddy bear!”

 

“Silence!” the bear rumbles with no real malice, slamming a paw onto the floor. “I will not be mocked.”

 

“Okay, teddy bear!” Yang giggles, turning back to her work.

 

Eventually, Yang finds that her conversations with the bear are what she looks forward to the most every day, and the bear finds themselves able to laugh and joke with Yang, her presence a soothing balm for their loneliness.

 

Every night, Yang feels someone creep into her bed and sleep besides her. The night time visitor un-nerves Yang; they don’t attempt anything, keeping a respectable distance, but Yang is still wary.

 

Many months pass by, and Yang finishes her weapon.

 

“Ah-ha!” Yang cheers, snapping two bright yellow gauntlets onto her wrists. “I think I’ll call you Ember Celica.”

 

“A fine name for a fine weapon,” the bear agrees from their corner.

 

“Thanks! It’s a lot more complex than the terrible stuff I practiced on.”

 

“Those are lovely too,” the bear disagrees. “You would make a fine blacksmith.”

 

“I learned from my father,” Yang sighs, suddenly looking quite sad. “I miss him and Ruby terribly. I miss my family.”

 

“Family,” the bear snuffs.

 

“Don’t you have any?” Yang asks.

 

“None worth mentioning,” the bear sighs.

 

Yang doesn’t know what to say to that; she cannot fathom the idea of not having a family to love.

 

“You may visit them,” the bear offers generously, unable to see Yang sad.

 

“Really?!” Yang jumps at the chance, face glowing with joy.

 

“You may,” the bear reaffirms, “but you must not spend time alone with your friend Blake. She is a wily one, and I fear she may have some ideas that you do not need to hear. Talk to Blake only in presence of everyone else.”

 

Yang pouts now, for she loves and misses her best friend dearly.

 

“Fine,” Yang agrees.

 

The very next day, the bear lets Yang mount again, and the pair race back to Yang’s house. Only now, the cabin is gone, disappeared and replaced with a much larger and grander house. Yang dismounts and looks up in awe.

 

“Are you sure you got the right address?” Yang murmurs.

 

“Quite. Now I’ll be on my way and pick you up after dinner,” the bear grumbles and disappears.

 

“Yang?! Is that you?” Ruby shrieks, opening the front door and bowling her sister over with a hug.

 

“Yang?” Tai emerges from the house.

 

“I’m just here for the day,” Yang grunts as two pairs of arms squeeze tightly around her middle. “I’m gone after dinner. How have you two been doing?”

 

Ruby jumps in, chattering all about how she woke up feeling better only to be devastated at Yang’s departure. Tai talks about how after Yang left, there was no end to people looking for his services, and they all paid him quite well. Tai is so overjoyed at Yang’s return that he makes a grand dinner and invites Blake over.

 

“Blake!” Yang calls out, barreling into her friend with a hug as she walks through the doors. “I’ve missed you so much.”

 

“And I you,” Blake agrees, hugging Yang back just as tightly. “How have you been?”

 

“I’ve been well,” Yang giggles, pulling away. “I’ve been doing more than well actually.”

 

“That’s good to hear,” Blake smiles, taking off her coat and boots. “Are Tai and Ruby in the kitchen?”

 

“They’re finishing up the cooking,” Yang says and takes Blake’s hand. “Let’s go join them!”

 

“I’ve really missed my best friend Yang,” Blake admits, not moving. “I was hoping we could just talk.”

 

“We can talk with Ruby and dad,” Yang counter offers, tugging on Blake’s hand towards the kitchen again.

 

Blake let’s Yang drag her into the kitchen. Dinner is finished, and everyone eats and listens to Yang tell her story. Yang shows off her gauntlets, still latched to her wrists and basks in Tai Yang’s pride and praise. When dinner is finished, Yang and Blake reach out to help with dishes only to be shooed away by Ruby and Tai.

 

“Catch up with Blake dear,” Tai offers.

 

“Yeah! We’ve got the dishes,” Ruby adds.

 

“Oh, ummm,” Yang stammers. “I was hoping we’d all talk together some more.”

 

“Or we can talk just us,” Blake decides, pulling Yang out of the kitchen, into a sitting room, and closing the door behind them.

 

“Oh, okay then,” Yang fumbles, drawing her arm away from Blake. Yang bites her lip nervously, remembering the bear’s advice. “What’s up Blake?”

 

“I’m worried about you,” Blake admits. “Are you sure you’ve told us everything? You’re acting like you’ve got a secret Yang.”

 

“I’ve told everything worth telling,” Yang avoids eye contact with Blake while speaking.

 

“If something happened that you don’t want Tai or Ruby to know about, please tell me,” Blake implores.

 

“Well, somebody keeps sleeping beside me at night,” Yang admits, not wanting to lie to her best friend. “They crawl into my bed and sleep beside me.”

 

“What?!” Blake hisses. “Yang! Are you alright? Did they touch you? Did they ever try anything? Try to force themselves on y-”

 

“It’s not like that!” Yang yelps, cutting Blake off. “They’re quite polite actually. They keep a good distance, and they never even so much as brush up against me.”

 

Blake frowns, not convinced.

 

“I’m worried now Yang. Do you know who they are? Have you seen their face?”

 

“It’s too dark,” Yang remembers. “I’ve tried keeping a candle by the bed, but it always disappears.”

 

Blake scans the room and sees a little candle sitting on the table. Blake picks up the candle and produces a little matchbook from her pocket.

 

“Here,” Blake thrusts the candle and matchbook into Yang’s hands. “Tuck these into your bosom, and use them to see tonight.”

 

Yang looks at Blake and then back at the candle and matchbook.

 

 _‘It would be nice to see,’_ Yang thinks and tucks the objects to her chest. _‘Just a quick peek, and no one will ever know.’_

The foundations of the house shake then, and there is a pounding on the door.

 

“My bear is back,” Yang realizes with a smile. “Right on time.”

 

Everyone gathers at the door, and Yang says her goodbyes with a hug.

 

“Be safe,” Blake whispers to Yang as she pulls away from the hug.

 

“Bye everyone!” Yang calls out and waves as she mounts.

 

“Hold tight,” the bear reminds, snorting when they feel Yang’s fists in their fur.

 

The pair dash of into the wilderness; they reach the mountain castle before dark.

 

That very night, Yang trembles as she rings the bell for bed. Yang waits quietly, still and soft, as the stranger tucks themselves in next to her. Waiting a few moments more, Yang’s hands tremble as she lights the candle and turns around.

 

The stranger is woman, slight and small compared to Yang with the most beautiful long white hair. The woman is breathtakingly beautiful, and Yang’s shocked gaze lingers too long. A few drops of wax spill from Yang’s candle and onto the stranger’s nightgown. Yang gasps when light blue eyes meet her own.

 

“What have you done you dolt?!” the stranger shrieks.

 

“What have I done?” Yang snaps back, annoyed. “I just wanted to know who was crawling into bed with me every night!”

 

“Well now you know,” the stranger sneers. “My name is Weiss Schnee, enchantress and crown princess to the Kingdom of Atlas. My family, my father is a mighty wizard. My father did not wish for me to inherit the kingdom, so he arranged for me to be married off. I wished to reject my arranged marriage, and my father cursed me for it. I was to walk as a bear during the day, resume my human form at night, and only have the spell and marriage broken if I could sleep beside someone for every night for a year.”

 

Yang looks on as tears pool in Weiss’s eyes.

 

“I was so close too!” Weiss howls. “But now that you’ve seen me, I must return to my father. I must return and be wed!”

 

“Wait!” Yang pleads. “Is there no other way?”

 

“None.”

 

“I- I’m sorry.”

 

“Don’t be,” Weiss sighs. “I’m sorry I involved you in all of this. Just- just go back to sleep. We’ll both go back to sleep, and when you wake up, you can head back to your father. Don’t worry; Ruby is still well, and Tai is still well off.”

 

“Where will you go?” Yang pries.

 

“I will return to my father’s castle in the Kingdom of Atlas. It is east of the sun and west of the moon.”

 

“East of the sun and west of the moon,” Yang mumbles to herself, committing the details to memory before a magical sleep overtakes her.

 

Yang awakens in the clothes she arrived at the castle with. Yang shivers, pulling her old ratty cloak around her and surveying her surroundings. The castle is gone, the bell is gone, and Yang is in the middle of a frozen plain. Yang still has Ember Celica strapped to her wrists but nothing else.

 

“Well, I guess this is it,” Yang gulps, looking around. “I should go back to my father and sister. It’ll be west probably; I should get going.”

 

Yang doesn’t move. She sits in the snow and thinks about her big white bear.

 

“Dammit all!” Yang curses, jumping to her feet and setting out in a random direction.

 

Yang trudges through the snow all day until she reaches a rocky overhang. Crawling under the rock, Yang tries to light a fire with some stones and a few branches.

 

“No luck huh kid?” A bird asks, landing beside Yang.

 

Yang squints at the bird. They appear to be a raven, but they have solid gold feathers instead of the typical black ones.

 

“Okay, a talking raven,” Yang rationalizes aloud. “That’s cool, no caw-se for alarm. I mean, I lived with a talking bear, so it’s all good. Sometimes these things happen.”

 

“How charming,” the raven crows. “Where are you headed child?”

 

“I’m finding a castle east of the sun and west of the moon,” Yang snorts. “The Kingdom of Atlas. Weird directions, I know.”

 

“Hmm, the mythical Kingdom of Atlas” the raven hums, plucking a feather and giving it to Yang. “I know of no such place, but perhaps my brother knows. He lives a days march to the north.”

 

With that advice, the raven flies away, and Yang puts the gold feather in her pocket. Sleeping a night under the rocky overhang, Yang awakens and begins her long march north. The rocky road is slippery, and Yang falls more than once as she plows forward. Eventually, the rocks fade into trees and forest; it is sunset when Yang reaches a large evergreen. Checking around for more suitable shelter, Yang sighs and crawls under the large branches.

 

“It’s impolite to barge into people’s houses like this,” a gruff voice rings out, as Yang makes herself a bed with her coat.

 

“Oh for-” Yang whirls around searching for the source of the voice.

 

“Here,” a golden crow flaps and flutters down to land beside Yang.

 

“Oh, I think I meet your sister,” Yang says airily.

 

“Raven sent you then, how lovely,” the crow says in a tone that makes it sound not lovely at all.

 

“I’m looking for a castle,” Yang begins again. “It’s east of the sun and west of the moon, in the Kingdom of Atlas”

 

“Hmm,” the crow mumbles. “I know of no such place, but I know of a witch who might. She lives on the coast, a days march north of here.”

 

“Really?” Yang grins. “Thank you for your help!”

 

“Don’t thank me just yet,” the crow flies away and returns with a solid gold rose in his beak. “Here. This might come in handy later.” With that finished being said, the crow flies away.

 

Yang tucks the rose into her pocket beside the feather and falls asleep under the great branches of the evergreen. Waking up the next morning, Yang prepares for another day of hiking. The forest seems infinite as Yang wanders through it. Eventually, the trees thin out, and a rocky shoreline can be seen. The sun is just setting when Yang sees woman standing beside a small little sea shanty. Yang is willing to bet that this woman is the witch the old crow told her about.

 

“Excuse me,” Yang calls out, moving towards the woman. “Are you a witch?”

 

“I am Glynda Goodwitch,” the woman answers, turning around to face Yang. “And you are a most insolent girl if that is how you greet people.”

 

“Sorry,” Yang says, flushing and looking away. “I just needed some information.”

 

“An old crow told me that you’re looking for the castle east of the sun and west of the moon,” Glynda finishes. “The only person in the world who can take you there is Ozpin. He will be back tomorrow, and he will fly you there.”

 

“Oh, wow. Thanks!” Yang smiles, basking in her good fortune.

 

“Take this too,” Glynda offers, handing Yang a beautiful golden snowflake the size of her palm. “Now off to bed with you. You can sleep in my hut for the night.”

 

Yang tucks the snowflake into her pocket besides the rose and feather. Yang is grateful for the bed she is offered. Her sleep is deep and restful, and when Yang awakens the next day, she is ready. Leaving the hut, Yang sees Glynda standing beside an older man.

 

“I am the great wizard Ozpin,” the man introduces himself, “and I will take you to the castle east of the sun and west of the moon.”

 

“Thank you!” Yang says gratefully, pausing to look around. “Is there a boat?”

 

“A boat?” Glynda huffs, shaking her head. “Honestly!”

 

Oz laughs as well and begins moving his hands in a circular motion, summoning a great wind.

 

“You will ride the winds,” Oz informs, plucking Yang off the ground and placing her on the back of the great winds.

 

“Wow,” Yang gasps, feeling the power of the gusts she straddles.

 

“Off with you now,” Oz chuckles and sends the winds billowing over the ocean.

 

Yang laughs and shrieks with joy as she flies over the ocean; it’s exhilarating. A full day and night later, Yang is deposited on the frozen beaches of the Kingdom of Atlas. The winds peter out, leaving Yang alone.

 

“Hello,” Yang bellows, her echo the only answer. “Oh, well then. I didn’t know what I expected.”

 

Yang looks to the north, and she can see the castle situated on cliff. The hike up isn’t very hard, made far easier by the paved road. Yang wanders onto the castle grounds where she sees a very serious looking man sipping tea in the courtyard. The man has white hair and blue eyes as well as a crown, and Yang can guess that such a man would be Weiss’s father, the king, the wizard. Weiss’s father’s robes and crown are all laid and detailed with gold, and Yang takes out her gold feather before sauntering into the courtyard.

 

“Hello your majesty,” Yang bows, waving her feather a little.

 

“Hello peasant,” the king returns, eyes caught on the gold feather. “I would ask you how you got into my castle, but such information is irrelevant now. How much do you want for that feather?”

 

“You have a daughter, yes? Weiss?” Yang asks.

 

“You cannot have my daughter,” the King sneers, “and I cannot possibly fathom why you would even want her. But you can have a night with her.”

 

“Deal!” Yang jumps on the offer, handing the feather over.

 

King Jacques summons Klein, Weiss’s attendant, and hands Yang off to him. Klein keeps Yang for the day, and makes her ready for the evening. Klein looks Yang over with a wary eye as she readies herself to meet Weiss.

 

“Now I know King Jacques has given you Miss. Schnee for the night,” Klein begins, “but I implore you, Miss Xiao Long, to have _decency_ an-”

 

“Woah!” Yang throws her hands up in front of her. “I’m not a rapist! And Weiss’s father is a sicko if he thinks that’s what I wanted and agreed to it. Dammit! I just want to talk to Weiss.”

 

“Oh, thank goodness,” Klein sags in relief, but looks to Yang with pity now.

 

Yang is shown into Weiss’s chambers. On the bed, Weiss is nestled in the blankets and sheets.

 

“Weiss!” Yang calls out, rushing to the bed and hugging Weiss. “Wake up, please! It’s me! Yang!”

 

Weiss doesn’t awake. No matter how much Yang shakes her, screams at her, and cries, Weiss sleeps on. Unknown to both girls, King Jacques has ordered Klein to add a strong sleeping draught to Weiss’s tea. The draught insures that Weiss is unable to tell Yang any secrets or scheme with her. At sunrise, Yang is tossed out of the castle.

 

Cursing, but not giving up, Yang returns to the courtyard where King Jacques is once again having morning tea. Yang pulls out the golden rose now, waving it around as she walks in.

 

“What do you want for that rose of yours?” King Jacques asks, not even looking up from his tea.

 

“Weiss.”

 

“One more night then.”

 

The king has Klein prepare Yang again.    

 

“Why are you so determined to see Miss Schnee?” Klein asks as he takes Yang’s coat from her.

 

“I just feel that- I- I don’t know. I just know it’s something I need to do,” Yang answers honestly. “I screwed up, and I want to fix it. Or at least help her.”

 

“Hm,” Klein grunts.

 

The second night is the same as the first with Yang leaving in tears as Weiss continues to snore. Yang is once again tossed out in the morning. Sniffling but undetered, Yang wipes her tears and takes out her golden snowflake as she walks into the courtyard.

 

“I’m guessing you want Weiss,” King Jacques mutters, sipping his tea.

 

Yang just nods and hands over the snowflake. Klein watches the exchange for the third day in a row. He stands in the wings of the courtyard with a frown. Later that evening, Klein presents Weiss her usual evening tea, chamomile.

 

“Thank you, Klein,” Weiss smiles, but Klein can tell it’s a practiced one. Weiss brings the cup to her lips, and Klein makes a decision. Klein snatches the tea from Weiss and pours it into an unsuspecting houseplant.

 

“Klein?”

 

“Your father has ordered a sleeping draught for you these past few nights,” Klein admits. “A Miss. Yang Xiao Long has come and asked to see you. She was quite distraught that you would not wake up.”

 

“Well then,” Weiss gasps. “I wasn’t expecting that.”

 

“She is coming again tonight,” Klein whispers, looking around as if King Jacques would appear at any moment.

 

“Oh,” Weiss blushes, fidgeting with the hem of her nightgown. “I suppose I will see her then.”

 

This night, when Yang enters the room, she sees Weiss sitting on the bed. Weiss looks alert, awake, and eager to see her.

 

“Weiss!” Yang gasps, running the bed and knocking Weiss onto it with a hug.

 

“Get off of me you oaf,” Weiss grunts, but hugs Yang tightly.

 

“Weiss,” Yang whispers, pulling them back up into a sitting position. “Oh, Weiss.”

 

“My wedding is tomorrow,” Weiss sighs. “I have no idea what to do.”

 

“Run?” Yang offers.

 

“You underestimate my father,” Weiss snorts.

 

“What can I do to help?” Yang asks earnestly, grabbing Weiss’s hands with her own.

 

Weiss looks down at the polished metal of Ember Celica. Weiss recalls Yang’s steadfast determination and patience when forging the weapon.

 

“I have an idea,” Weiss begins.

 

“Let’s hear it.”

 

In the end, Weiss and Yang form a plan. Klein requires no convincing and is eager to help both girls. Weiss pretends to be fast asleep as the morning comes, and Yang gets tossed out as per usual. Before the wedding ceremony can begin, Klein sneaks Yang into a dressing room and dresses her in a fine gold ball gown with a pretty golden mask. Klein sneaks Yang into the ballroom to dance and mingle with all the dignitaries and guests. The party continues until King Jacques leads Weiss and her presumable finance onto a stage at the front of the ballroom.

 

“We are here today to celebrate the union of my beloved daughter Princess Weiss Schnee and Prince Henry Marigold,” King Jacques’s voice rings out, and the audience applauds. Yang sticks out her tongue. Weiss looks vaguely uncomfortable standing beside the puffed-up oaf meant to be her husband.

 

“I have a request, actually,” Weiss says, and the audience begins to chatter.

 

“Oh,” King Jacques looks to the audience before glaring at his daughter. “What is it my dearest?”

 

“I have a lovely nightgown,” Weiss begins, “and I thought I’d wear it for my wedding night. However, there seems to be a stain on it. I think it’s only appropriate and fair that if my future husband wants to see me in such a gown, he will be the one to clean it.”

 

Klein rushes onto the stage and hands Weiss her nightgown, the drops of wax on it from when Yang first saw her as Weiss.

 

“I will marry whoever can clean this nightgown,” Weiss declares with finality, defying her father.

 

“Very well,” her suitor answers, a little flustered. “Behold!” A bolt of magic leaves the Henry’s fingers and onto the stain, but the stain does not budge. The boy frowns and tries again, but the stain looks larger if anything. The cycle continues until the previously white gown is almost black.

 

“Stupid boy,” King Jacques hisses.

 

“Why won’t my magic work?” Henry mutters, running the gown under his fingers; Weiss rolls her eyes.

 

“Excuse me!” Yang’s voice rings out from the crowd. “I’d like to try please.”

 

The shocked crowd parts for Yang as she makes her way to Weiss. King Jacques glares at Yang, but he is unable to identify her under the mask. Klein runs onto the stage now, carrying a tub of hot water, soap, and a scrub board.

 

“If a wizard like me can’t clean it, a commoner like yourself certainly won’t be able to,” Henry scoffs, tossing the gown at Yang’s feet.

 

Yang sneers at the boy, takes the gown, kneels at the tub, and begins lathering and scrubbing the gown. Yang hums as she works, singing a little folk song as she lathers and scrubs the gown. Yang thinks of doing laundry at home, washing Ruby’s dresses and her dad’s shirts along with her own clothes. She dunks the gown in water again, and it emerges pristine and white like fresh fallen snow.

 

“Well, it looks like you have to marry me now, Weiss,” Yang teases with a grin.

 

“Yup, that sounds about right,” Weiss agrees, smiling at how Yang is rendered speechless.

 

“I forbid it!” King Jacques’s bellows now, summoning fearsome magic. He releases the magic at Yang, but Weiss summons a mirror, reflecting the magic back at the ceiling. The magic hits, and the castle begins to splinter and shake.

 

“Hurry!” Yang hisses, whipping off her mask and reaching out for Weiss. Weiss takes Yang’s hand, and they flee.

 

“Here!” Klein yells, catching the pair’s attention. The girls follow Klein into a series of secret tunnels, the loud bangs and booms of the shattering castle surround them.

 

“Wow,” Yang gasps after a particularly loud smashing sound. “We would have never made it out.”

 

“The castle is going to be gone soon,” Klein informs wearily. “The King’s magic is far too powerful, even for himself this time it appears.”

 

Both Klein and Yang look to Weiss, watch for her reaction to her family and home being destroyed. Weiss’s face betrays nothing.

 

“We should hurry to the docks,” Weiss decides. “We’ll take the sled boat back to the mainland.”

 

“Of course,” Klein agrees, taking a sharp turn in the tunnels. A few minutes of frantic running lead the trio to a cove where a speedy little sled boat sits on the ice. Klein opens the sail while Weiss cuts the rope. The sail catches wind, and the sled boat jerks, racing out of the cove onto the open sea ice. Yang and Weiss huddle together, shivering under a spare tarp.

 

“Where will we go once we reach the land Miss Schnee?” Klein asks as the boat skitters across the frozen ocean.

 

“I don’t know,” Weiss whispers.

 

“Come with me,” Yang offers, grabbing Weiss’s hand in her own. “Come with me back to my family.”

 

“Really?” Weiss asks, eyes wide with longing.

 

“Of course! Ruby and dad will love you!” Yang grins. “You can join my family!”

 

“My family,” Weiss repeats, whispering. “Okay Yang.”

 

Yang cheers and presses her lips to Weiss’s before either of them can realize what is happening.

 

“Oh, whoops,” Yang giggles. “Sorry about that! I di-”

 

Weiss cuts her off with another kiss, and then another, and then another.

 

“Oh,” Yang breathes out softly once they part. “Wow. Umm, so I guess it’s like that then.”

 

“You dolt,” Weiss snickers warmly. “Yes. It’s like that.”

 

Klein clears his throat awkwardly.

 

“Shoot!” Weiss groans, burying her reddening face into her hands. “Sorry Klein.”

 

“Oh, Miss Schnee,” Klein sighs fondly. “I’m just happy you found someone of your own choosing.”

 

Weiss looks at Yang, her face still flushed from the kisses, her mouth still fixed in a grin.

 

“I’m happy too.”


	3. Protection (The Ch'i-Lin Purse)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Ch'i-Lin Purse is taken from Peking Opera, but I've probably butchered it beyond recognition. Oh well.

“I hate this,” Weiss huffs as Winter adjusts the dress.

 

“If it’s any consolation, I do as well,” Winter sighs sadly. “It should have been me.”

 

“Nonsense,” Weiss smiles now, genuine. “Winter, I don’t regret this. If I’m the one father marries off, then so be it. I’m happy that it’s given you freedom. I don’t regret volunteering.”

 

“Weiss I-”

 

“Winter, please. Let me protect you for once; let me return the favour.”

 

Winter pulls Weiss in for a hug, an awkward one due to all the robes and accessories.

 

“How do I look?” Weiss asks, giving a twirl for Winter.

 

“You look beautiful,” Winter answers honestly. “Here Weiss, I got you this. It’s your-... your wedding gift.”

 

Weiss feels something being pressed into her hands, bringing the gift to her, Weiss opens her hands and finds a beautiful purse. The purse is embroidered with the image of a golden dragon flying and leaping in the sky, and Weiss knows that such skilled craftsmanship is worth a fortune.

 

“Open it at your new house,” Winter instructs. “It’s full of lovely things.”

 

“I love you Winter,” Weiss sniffs, pulling Winter into a hug.

 

“I love you Weiss,” Winter returns, eyes teary. “But it’s time now.” Winter pulls the veil over Weiss’s face, and escorts her into the palanquin.

 

“Are father and Whitley not coming to see me off?” Weiss asks, but she already knows the answer.

 

“They’re... they’re busy,” Winter finishes lamely.

 

“Of course. Now that father has auctioned me off like cattle and received his lien, he doesn’t give a shit about me,” Weiss snarls. “Good riddance.”

 

“Language,” Winter chides weakly. “I’m sorry Weiss.”

 

“Don’t be,” Weiss says, voice heavy and defeated. “Good bye Winter.” Weiss lets the palanquin screens fall closed. The palanquin bearers rise and Weiss feels them begin their trek to Weiss’s new household, her new fiancé.

 

The palanquin ride is smooth, the six bearers doing a marvelous job of keeping Weiss from being jolted or bumped. Within the palanquin, Weiss has a harder time keeping her thoughts from jumbling.

 

 _‘Winter,’_ Weiss reminds herself. _‘Think of your big sister. Think of her freedom; if it isn’t you, it has to be her. Protect Winter.’_

This mantra gets Weiss through the day, her resolve strong. Eventually, night falls. Weiss and her palanquin bearers find shelter in a small inn. Still dressed in her wedding robes and her veil, Weiss sits in the courtyard after dinner; she listens to the cicadas shrill buzzing and the sounds of heart wrenching sobbing. Following her ears, Weiss reaches a sobbing woman. Her sniffles and hiccups marginally annoy Weiss for she has very little patience considering her position.

 

“What’s the matter with you?” Weiss asks.

 

“I am sad because I cannot find work here,” the woman weeps. “I’ve been travelling all around the land looking for work because I need lien.”

 

“Are you so greedy that you would cry over lack of lien?” Weiss rolls her eyes then realizes that woman cannot possibly see her under the veil. It’s a wonder she can even hear Weiss given how thick and intricate the veil is. Weiss realizes her voice must be coming out very muffled and distorted, her hearing coming in certainly is.

 

“I’m not greedy!” the woman snaps. “I need the money for my older sister. She’s really injured and sick, and my father cannot afford a doctor. My sister, she’ll... she’ll die! I need to save my big sister!”

 

The woman collapses into tears again, and Weiss can feel her heart hurt in empathy. Reaching into her pocket, Weiss fishes out the purse Winter gave her.

 

 _‘It’s for her sister,’_ Weiss rationalizes. “Here. Take this purse. The embroidery is worth a fortune, never mind what could be in it.”

 

“Thank you,” the woman gasps and accepts the purse. “I’ll make it up to you one day!”

 

“No need to do that,” Weiss says. “Just go help your big sister.”

 

The woman squeals most loudly and runs off. Hearing the woman leave, Weiss feels exhausted suddenly. Retiring to her room, Weiss is forced to sleep in a most awkward position to ensure her robes and veil stay on; there are no hand maidens on this trip to dress her again. Waking up the next morning stiff and cranky, Weiss forces herself to gather her courage and board the palanquin. The palanquin moves towards her fiancé’s estate steadily over the hours, and Weiss can feel her stomach knot. Suddenly, the palanquin jerks, and a splash of red hits the fabric of the cover. Jerking the palanquin cover open, Weiss is terrified to see a crew of bandits slaughtering her palanquin bearers.

 

Horrified, Weiss’s flight reaction kicks in, and she leaps from the palanquin, bolting for the woods. The bandits give chase, and Weiss can hear them gaining on her. Looking around frantically through her veil, Weiss spots a well concealed and abandoned animal den dug into the ground. Weiss leaps into the den and silences herself. The bandits catch up promptly and stop right beside the den. Weiss can barely breath due to fear.

 

“Dammit,” a bandit hisses. “Where’d that girl go?”

 

“The bride, it looks like,” another one adds. “Probably going to her wedding judging from the decorations on the property we just came from. Shame we killed her fiancé and his family.”

 

Weiss’s eyes widen in horror, and she barely manages to stop herself from gasping.

 

“She’ll join them soon enough,” the first bandit laughs. “If we can find her that is. Anyone get a good look at her face?”

 

“Her stupid wedding veil protected her,” the other bandit says. “We’ll find her though. She’s probably got some pretty nice jewelry on.”

 

The bandits loiter and laugh for a little while longer before leaving; it is nightfall before Weiss feels safe enough to leave her hole.

 

 _‘I can’t go home,’_ Weiss realizes. _‘What if they’re waiting to follow me home? Home is where Winter is. I have to protect my sister.’_  

 

 _‘How will I live? Where will I go?’_ Weiss wonders, taking her veil off and folding it. _‘A job? What marketable skills do I have?’_

 

Weiss trudges along the tree line of the woods, too afraid use the roads. Weiss walks through the night, her feet pinched in their fancy wedding shoes. Weiss returns to the village where the inn is while it is still morning. Pawning her fancy robes and veil and jewelry, Weiss buys new simple clothing and shoes. Weiss buys herself another night at the inn to rest before hitting the road again; this village is simply too close to the bandits to risk staying in.

 

Weiss wanders to the next village, and then the next one. Weiss pushes down the memories of the bandit raid, the stench of blood in the air. Focusing on survival, Weiss presses forward. Weiss’s goal of employment becomes seemingly impossible when she considers that she has never had to work for anything before. Finally, Weiss’s profit from pawning her belongings runs out. The village she finds herself in has a sparse employment board, but Weiss finds an add she could possibly apply to.

 

“Caretaker needed,” Weiss reads aloud, “in order to care for and support someone recovering from a severe injury and illness. Tasks include providing companionship and assisting of day-to-day activities. Please report to the Xiao Long Martial Arts School if interested.”

 

A request for directions later, and Weiss finds herself in front of a rather large and intimidating martial arts studio. Gulping, Weiss knocks on the doors.

 

“Be out in a minute,” a deep, masculine voice answers.

 

Weiss takes a few deep breaths before the doors open revealing a very tall and muscular blonde man.

 

“How can I help you?” the man asks.

 

“My name is Weiss Schnee, and I am here about the add posted on the village bulletin board,” Weiss introduces herself politely. “I am interested in applying if the position is still available.”

 

“We shoot, that’s great! I’m Tai Yang Xiao Long by the way, but please just call me Tai,” Tai introduces himself. “Please come in.”

 

“Thank you,” Weiss accepts, walking into the dojo. “May I ask the nature of the injuries and illness of the individual needing a caretaker.”

 

“It’s my daughter, Yang,” Tai sighs. “She protected a friend from an attacker resulting in the injury of her arm. Yang managed to defeat the attacker, but at a terrible price. She got an infection soon after, and the arm had to be amputated. We thought we were going to lose her, but thankfully she survived. Yang’s my little fighter girl.”

 

“That’s awful,” Weiss gasps, genuinely shocked.

 

“She’s not doing well,” Tai admits. “She gets nightmares and flashbacks. It’s hard getting her out of bed or interested in anything. Her little sister Ruby can’t even seem to get through to her. Follow me please Weiss.”

 

Weiss follows Tai out the back door of the dojo and up the path leading to a log cabin. Tai opens the door and ushers Weiss in; leading her up the stairs. Tai pauses at a closed door and knocks.

 

“Yang, sunshine,” Tai calls out, voice full of affection. “I’ve brought someone up to meet you.”

 

“Fine,” a flat voice answers.

 

Tai opens the door and he and Weiss walk in. Sitting up in bed, Yang is tall and blonde, but her lilac eyes and dull and lifeless as they study Weiss. Yang is thin, pale, and her hair is limp, all sure signs of recovery from severe illness.

 

“Hi,” Yang offers curtly. “Despite what my father has told you, I don’t need a babysitter.”

 

“Caretaker sweetie,” Tai corrects.

 

“Same thing,” Yang huffs with a roll of her eyes. “Now, what did you say it was?”

 

“I didn’t,” Weiss returns. “I’m Weiss Schnee.”

 

“Okay then. Weiss, thank you for your interest, but I don’t think it’s going to work.”

 

“Yang,” Tai sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Please dear. Let’s just try this out; you and Weiss can talk, and then you can see if you like her to t-”

 

“I don’t like her,” Yang sniffs, turning away, and Weiss can feel anger bubble its way up inside of her. “I don’t like her, and I don’t need her. I’m doing fine on my own.”

 

“Your general state of being suggests differently,” Weiss snipes.

 

“Excuse me?” Yang gapes in disbelief.

 

“I want to work with you,” Weiss explains, “not kiss your ass. If this is what you think ‘doing fine’ looks like, then you’re delusional.”

 

“I ne-” Yang begins only to be cut off by Weiss.

 

“Wallowing in self-pity and indulging in a defeatist attitude will only hold you back Yang,” Weiss continues, thinking of her own long trek, of swallowing her pride and asking for help. “Looking at you, I can see that you’re having trouble adjusting to your new reality. I would like to help you, but only if you’re willing to accept my help.”

 

Yang is shocked speechless. All other applicants had simply crumpled or left after a few harsh words from her. Tai looks at Weiss then at his daughter then at Weiss again; he is both excited and afraid of what Yang’s reaction will be.

 

Yang laughs. It is a genuine laugh that Tai hasn’t heard in months, and Tai knows right then and there that Weiss must be hired.

 

“Okay,” Yang yields. “Let’s see what you’ve got Weiss.”

 

The terms of Weiss’s payment and housing are settled right away, Tai giving her a month in advance. Weiss is to sleep in Yang’s room in the bed along the opposite wall. Due to the fact that Weiss is to start right away, Tai gives Weiss a tour of the dojo, the house, and the gardens. There is only one area Weiss is forbidden from entering: the room at the very top of the house. Weiss looks up the stairs curiously, but shrugs and follows Tai. Finally, Weiss is also introduced to Ruby.

 

“Please help my sister get back to her old self,” Ruby chirps, eyes wide and hopeful.

 

“I’ll try my best,” Weiss promises, smiling when Ruby grins. Weiss cannot shake the feeling of déjà vu, the feeling that she has meet Ruby somewhere before.

 

In the end, Weiss finds her situation very agreeable, and she tucks in for the night.

 

“Hey Weiss,” Yang whispers across the room.

 

“Yes?”

 

“Goodnight.”

 

“Goodnight.”

 

Weiss is awoken from her sleep by screaming. Bolting up, Weiss looks to Yang and sees her thrashing and screaming in her sleep. Weiss rushes to Yang’s side, shaking her.

 

“Yang!” Weiss calls. “Yang, wake up!”

 

Yang jerks awake, eyes wide and searching.

 

“You’re safe,” Weiss soothes. “Nothing can hurt you now.”

 

“That’s a lie,” Yang hisses. “I’m useless, anything can get me now!” Yang waves her stump around to emphasize her point.

 

“You’re as useful or useless as you let yourself be,” Weiss argues. “Get back to sleep, and we ca-”

 

“What would you know?” Yang snaps. “You’ve still got both arms! How would you know how I feel?”

 

“You’re right,” Weiss admits, making Yang smirk. “I do have both my arms. Would you like me to get one of your father’s swords and hack my right arm off as well? Would you listen to me if I did that?”

 

“What the- Weiss! Don’t be ridiculous!” Yang grimaces as she speaks.

 

“Am I?” Weiss pushes. “I don’t fully understand your pain Yang, and I probably never will. But I still want to help you. However, in order to do that, you must accept my help. So, Yang, I’m offering to listen, and I’m offering to help you get back to your day to day routine. Will you accept my help?”

 

“I-I,” Yang stammers, looking at Weiss’s face finding it serious but sincere. “Yeah, I guess so.”

 

“Good,” Weiss says. “Get back to sleep.”

 

The following morning, Weiss insists that Yang change out of her pajamas and into clothing.

 

“Why bother?” Yang groans. “It’s not like I’m going to leave my room anyways.”

 

“Oh, but you are going to leave your room,” Weiss informs. “You are also eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner with your family today and every day from now on.”

 

Yang glares at Weiss who glares back and tosses Yang some clothes.

 

“Get dressed,” Weiss suggests.

 

“Nope.”

 

“Get dressed, or I will dress you.”

 

Yang glares again at Weiss who glares back. In the end, Yang turns away first, scowling.

 

“Fine,” Yang scoffs.

 

Weiss dresses herself across the room, facing away from Yang.

 

“Weiss,” Yang’s voice, sheepish and small, calls out. “I need help.”

 

Weiss turns and finds Yang topless and struggling with an undergarment and shirt. Weiss feels heat rise to her cheeks, but she does her best to remain professional.

 

“I got the pants,” Yang gestures to her legs, “but I can’t get the top.”

 

“Here,” Weiss guides Yang’s left arm through the motions of pulling on her undergarment before guiding it into pulling on the shirt. The buttons and fasteners are difficult, but Weiss walks Yang through it.

 

“Why not just do it for me?” Yang asks after. “It’s faster that way, and it is what Ruby and dad would do.”

 

“Because I want you to learn how to do it independently,” Weiss explains. “Isn’t independence your goal?”

 

Tai and Ruby are shocked when Weiss brings a fully dressed Yang down for breakfast. Yang struggles with her utensils, but Weiss encourages her to use them instead of grabbing with her hands. The rest of the day is uneventful with Tai and Ruby leaving to work the dojo. Weiss spends the day with Yang. She makes Yang do chores; helping Yang when asked, but never doing anything for her.

 

“Weiss!” Yang calls out from her bed at night time.

 

“Yes Yang?” Weiss answers, moving to Yang’s side.

 

“My arm hurts,” Yang whines. “Phantom pain.”

 

Weiss doesn’t say anything, reaching out and taking Yang’s stump and massaging it. Weiss digs in with her thumbs and moves them in clockwise circles.

 

“Does this feel better?” Weiss asks.

 

“Mhm,” Yang nods. “The doctors said wrapping it real tight will help too.”

 

A few more minutes of massage, and Weiss helps Yang wrap up for bed.

 

“Thank you for the _hand_ ,” Yang giggles, snuggling into her blankets. “Good night Weiss.”

 

“That pun was terrible, but good night anyways Yang.”

 

A month passes with Weiss and Yang falling into a similar routine day-to-day. Yang regains muscle, function, and joy under Weiss’s care. She learns to move live with only her left hand. Tai and Ruby thank Weiss profusely, but Weiss just blushes and tell them that she’s just doing her job.

 

Yang is a tough cookie; she doesn’t give up when things get tough. Weiss admires Yang’s resilience as she watches her engage in daily activities. Yang has a heart big enough to hold the world, Weiss thinks, the strength too.

 

One day, when Yang and Weiss are chilling in the garden, Weiss notices Yang look into the dojo, through its open door, longingly. Tai is teaching a class, and Weiss watches Yang follow her father’s movements with her eyes, arm and legs twitching and eager to join in.

 

“You miss it,” Weiss states.

 

“Of course,” Yang answers, voice drenched in longing and sadness. “I miss it more than anything.”

 

“Why not start again?”

 

Yang shoots Weiss a withering look.

 

“I mean it,” Weiss says firmly. “Why not start again? Don’t you wave your stump at me Yang Xiao Long. You still have two legs, one arm. You’re one of the most stubborn and resilient people I’ve ever meet Yang; I’m sure you’d find a way.”

 

Yang seems to consider this, and Weiss finds Yang in the dojo a few days later. Yang is sweating buckets, her arms and legs shaking under the strain. Months of inactivity have atrophied Yang’s muscles, and rebuilding them will be hard. Halfway down a push up, Yang collapses and doesn’t get up; she just lays on the floor and begins sobbing.

 

“Yang,” Weiss soothes, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Yang, do you want some water?”

 

“I’m pathetic,” Yang sobs into the floor. “I use to be able to do single handed push-ups.”

 

“I can’t even do two handed push-ups,” Weiss admits, but her admission does nothing to push Yang’s mood up. Weiss watches as Yang continues to cry, and she feels increasingly helpless before getting an idea. Weiss flops onto the floor next to Yang.

 

“Weiss?” Yang asks, looking at her from out the corner of her eye.

 

“I’m going to do this with you Yang,” Weiss promises. “We’ll scale things until we can do them, and we’ll work our way up.” Weiss starts with a few push-ups from her knees. “Come on Yang.”

 

Watching Weiss, Yang wipes her eyes and her nose on the back of her hand.

 

“Okay,” Yang agrees, pushing up from on her knees.

 

In the months that follow, Yang and Weiss build up strength and muscle together. Yang is back to doing push-ups and pull-ups, punching and kicking. It takes months, but eventually, Yang is back to teaching classes with her dad and sister. The students are amazed at Yang, ‘oh-ing’ and ‘ah-ing’ when Yang lands a backflip with only one arm for balance.

 

One night, Weiss awakens again to the sounds of Yang screaming. The nightmares had been so often at the beginning, but now it’s rare for Yang to get even one a month.

 

“Yang,” Weiss coos, shaking Yang awake. “You’re safe. I’m here. I’ll protect you.”

 

“Weiss,” Yang awakens with a gasps, pulling Weiss into a hug.

 

“Yang,” Weiss treads carefully, rubbing a hand on Yang’s back. It’s is highly unprofessional, but Weiss enjoys the lingering touches.

 

“Stay with me tonight?” Yang asks, pulling her blanket back.

 

 _‘Willpower. Just say no,’_ Weiss chants mentally. “Sure.”

 

Weiss crawls under the blankets, instinctive self-preservation making her turn away from Yang. Undeterred, Yang fits herself behind Weiss, throwing her arm over Weiss.

 

“I’m quitting; I already talked to Tai about it, and he already tried to convince me to stay so don’t bother,” Weiss whispers. “You’re doing great now, so there’s no reason for me to stay.”

 

“Okay,” Yang murmurs dejectedly. “I suppose that’s fair. But I’ll really miss you Weiss.”

 

“I’ll miss you too Yang,” Weiss admits, “but it’s been long enough. Furthermore, I have someone I want to see again.”

 

“Winter?” Yang guesses.

 

“How did you know?” Weiss gasps, turning herself in order to face Yang.

 

“I’m not the only one to get nightmares,” Yang admits. “You’re so quiet I almost miss them, but you whimper and cry sometimes. You call out for Winter, and I’m guessing it’s not the season you want.”

 

“She’s my older sister,” Weiss admits. “I couldn’t go home for a while, but I think it’s been long enough to be safe now.”

 

“You made me feel safe,” Yang admits. “When I was recovering, you made me feel safe and protected. Thank you, Weiss.”

 

“I’m almost a head shorter than you,” Weiss hums. “I doubt I’d be of much use in a fight.”

 

“I know,” Yang chuckles. “It doesn’t matter. Just being around you, Weiss, you made me feel safe. Like I could be strong again, like I could lean on you.”

 

“That’s sweet Yang,” Weiss sighs, snuggling into Yang. “I didn’t think you were capable of saying such things.”

 

“I really will miss you Weiss,” Yang says again, ignoring Weiss’s jab. “I want you to know that. I’ll think of you every day when you’re gone.”

 

“I’ll think of you too Yang,” Weiss offers.

 

“Really?”

 

“Really.”

 

Yang isn’t subtle when she leans in, tilting her head at a slight angle. Weiss has all the time and every opportunity to back away, but she doesn’t. Instead, she meets Yang halfway and catches her lips in a soft kiss.

 

“Please come back Weiss,” Yang begs when they pull away from each other. “Come back to me after you’re done seeing your sister.”

 

“I promise,” Weiss swears.

 

The next day is her last as Yang’s caretaker, and Weiss gives the house one last tour as a goodbye. When she reaches the stairs leading to the top, Weiss looks around quickly. Tai, Yang, and Ruby are not around, so Weiss takes the chance to sate her curiosity and see the final room. Opening the door, Weiss is exposed to an empty room with only a table. Walking to the table, Weiss gasps when she sees her embroidered purse on it.

 

“My purse,” Weiss murmurs, picking it up and turning it over in her hands.

 

“Your purse?” Ruby asks, making her presence from the doorway known.

 

“Ruby!” Weiss gasps, dropping the purse back on the table. “I’m so sorry! I know I shouldn’t-”

 

“It was you!” Ruby gasps, pointing at Weiss. “You were the bride who gave me that purse at the inn! There were jewels inside that we sold to pay for Yang’s doctors!”

 

“I knew I’d met you before,” Weiss realizes with a gasp.

 

“I was going to find you,” Ruby chatters eagerly. “I was going to take that purse and use it to find you, so I could pay you back and thank you. But you found us again. And you protected Yang again.”

 

“I was running, and your family gave me a job and shelter,” Weiss explains. “So, actually, it was you who protected me.”

 

“Stay!” Ruby orders. “This proves it! You were meant to find us and stay with us Weiss! Unless you’re married, but if you’re here then are you running from your husband? Oh, dad can handle him if-”

 

“I’m not married; I didn’t go through with the wedding” Weiss interrupts. “I need to go see my older sister Ruby, explain to her what happened. But I will return after. I already promised Yang I’d come back for her.”

 

“Oh, good!” Ruby chirps. “Wait a minute. Back for Yang. Weiss, are you and my sister-”

 

“Shhh!” Weiss hisses. “Not another word Ruby Rose!”

 

Ruby grins, slapping a hand over her mouth and jumping a little in excitement. Weiss sighs and rolls her eyes good naturedly. Winter will love to hear of her adventure, Weiss is sure. And after that, Weiss is happy that she will have Yang to go home to.


	4. Alternate Universe (The Lindworm)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's fairy tale is The Lindworm.

On the island of Patch, the King Tai Yang Xiao Long and his Queen Raven Branwen are a happily married couple. The young couple’s union is joyous and fruitful, with Queen Raven expecting her first child soon. However, the Queen falls ill, and King Tai tries everything in his power to cure his wife. The court magician, Ozpin brews elixir after elixir for Queen Raven, but nothing works. Eventually, the dying Queen goes into labour, and she passes as a result of it.

 

The creature birthed by the Queen is a horrible demon, a winged dragon, a Lindworm; the elixirs that Ozpin fed the Queen had turned her child into a monster. Recoiling in horror, King Tai only watches as the Lindworm trashes about the castle before flying out an open window.

 

Heartbroken, King Tai forbids the castle staff from telling anyone of the truth. Instead, he declares to the public that both Queen and child have died. King Tai falls into a deep depression, the depression only starting to lift when he meets Lady Summer Rose. It takes a while, but eventually the King falls in love with Lady Summer Rose. They get married, and the couple is blessed with a tiny little princess, Ruby Rose before Queen Summer too passes away.

 

Ruby grows into a warm and loving princess. She is the light of her weary father’s life, and King Tai is overjoyed when his daughter grows into a lovely young lady. As an adult, Ruby falls in love with Princess Penny Polendina of Atlas. King Tai arranges a grand wedding, but the day is interrupted by a terribly large and vicious beast. It is the Lindworm, and it snatches Penny up and flies away while screeching:

 

_“A bride for me before a bride for you!”_

 

Later that night, King Tai consoles a weeping Ruby.

 

“What did that monster mean?” Ruby sniffles, burying her face in her father’s broad shoulders.

 

King Tai looks at his daughter, then at his hands.

 

“Ruby,” Tai says, voice weary and hollow, “I need to tell you something.”

 

And so, King Tai tells Ruby the whole truth of the matter.

 

“I have an older sibling,” Ruby realizes after her father’s tale.

 

“It’s tradition in Patch,” King Tai finishes, “that the eldest marries first. It would appear that the Lindworm knows at least this much.”

 

Stunned, Ruby retires for the night without another word to her father; she is unable to process this much information at once. The following morning, Ruby tells her story to her most trusted lady-in-waiting, Weiss Schnee.

 

“Oh, I’m just so worried about Penny,” Ruby sniffles. “Dad already has the royal army out searching, and I suppose I’ll just have to join them.”

 

“Nonsense. You will stay in the castle where it is safe; who knows where and when the monster will strike next,” Weiss says cooly. “You just wait Ruby; I’ll figure something out.”

 

“I’m worried though Weiss!” Ruby whines, eyes darting around nervously.

 

“Trust me Ruby,” Weiss assures. “I will find a way.”

 

That very evening, Weiss visits King Tai and proposes a plan.

 

“I will marry the Lindworm,” Weiss offers. “That way, they will return Princess Penny, and Ruby can be happy again.”

 

“Lady Schnee, I cannot ask you to do such a thing,” Tai turns the offer down. “And I know Ruby would be devastated if she knew what you were planning.

 

“I’m not asking you,” Weiss states with finality. “I’m telling you, and Ruby doesn’t have to know.”

 

“Why Lady Schnee?” Tai asks, confused.

 

“Because Ruby is my best friend, and I promised her that I would be her best friend too,” Weiss remembers fondly. “I’m willing to do this for my best friend and no one else.”

 

“Lady Schnee,” Tai exhales, deflating.

 

“I have just one question,” Weiss adds.

 

“Anything.”

 

“What is the Lindworm’s name, the one you would’ve given them if they had-,” Weiss doesn’t finish her sentence; she doesn’t need to.

 

“Yang,” Tai recollects with a small smile. “Yang Xiao Long. Raven and I agreed on it when she was still ali-”

 

“I’m sorry your highness,” Weiss apologizes when King Tai chokes up. “I didn’t mean to bring up painful memories.”

 

In the end, Tai agrees to Weiss’s plan. He sends a message out to the Lindworm with a wedding date, and Weiss and Tai both endeavor to keep Ruby in the dark about such matters. Weiss puts on her best brave face when she walks about the castle. However, the fear in Weiss’s heart festers and grows as her wedding draws closer; eventually, the day before the wedding, Weiss finds herself walking out of the castle grounds and into the forest. Sitting on a mossy rock, Weiss begins to sob.

 

“Oh, dear child. What is the matter?” A pretty songbird flutters and flaps her wings to land beside Weiss on the rock.

 

“I am to marry the Lindworm tomorrow in order to save Princess Penny, and I am so so scared,” Weiss admits, wiping her tears.

 

“Brave girl,” the bird coos. “Perhaps you will be the one to save the Lindworm.”

 

“Save them?” Weiss asks. “They’re a monster!”

 

“Under that scaly exterior, lies a surprisingly human interior,” the songbird sings.

 

“Human?” Weiss inquires, disbelieving.

 

“Yes, human. Perhaps you can save them. Here child, I will tell you the way,” the bird titters. “After your wedding, on your wedding night, wear ten snow white shifts under your dress. Order for a tub of lye, a tub of milk, and as many hazel branches as a servant can carry.”

 

Weiss forces the orders into her memory, listening with rapt attention to the bird.

 

“When the Lindworm orders you to shed a shift, order them to shed a skin,” the bird instructs. “Once you are down to your last shift and the Lindworm down to their last skin, you must dip hazel branches in the lye and whip the Lindworm with all your might. Whip them until the last of the branches snaps in two then bath them in the tub of milk. After the bath of milk, wrap the Lindworm in your discarded shifts and cradle them in your arms throughout the night. Do all this, and you may save them yet. Now hurry girl, you should head back to the castle or they will come to worry about you.”

 

Heeding the little bird’s advice, Weiss runs back to the castle. She sleeps fitfully that night, dreaming of sharp teeth and horns. The next day, Weiss is dressed in ten shifts under her wedding gown, the handmaidens confused but obedient to Weiss’s instructions. They are even more confused when Weiss orders a tub of lye, a tub of milk, and as many hazel branches as a servant can carry to her room. Everything in place, Weiss marches toward the courtyard where the Lindworm and King Tai are waiting.

 

Ruby intercepts her on her way.

 

“Weiss!” Ruby screams, grabbing Weiss’s hand. “I knew there was something going on! I cornered Dad and made him tell me what you’re going to do! Don’t do it Weiss! Please! We’ll save Penny some other way.”

 

“Finding ‘some other way’ might take too long. Besides, I already agreed to the marriage,” Weiss sighs, shaking her head. “I’ll get Princess Penny back for you Ruby.”

 

“I don’t want you to die instead,” Ruby whimpers. “I don’t want to trade my best friend for my love.”

 

“I won’t die you dolt,” Weiss says with affection. “Ruby, I’m asking you to trust me. Keep trusting me please. I won’t disappoint you; I won’t die.”

 

“I-I trust you Weiss,” Ruby decides after a few moments of contemplation.

 

“Good, now let’s go. I wouldn’t want to be late to my own wedding.”

 

Ruby and Weiss arrive in the courtyard, Weiss shooing Ruby off to the sidelines before marching up to the Lindworm and King Tai.

 

“Your highnesses,” Weiss greets and curtseys to both King Tai and the Lindworm. “Where is Princess Penny?”

 

“Here is the Atlas girl,” the Lindworm uncoils their tail and Princess Penny comes stumbling out; she looks frightened, but otherwise unharmed. Ruby rushes out and catches Penny before rushing her into the castle for medical aid.

 

“Thank you,” Weiss says plainly, at least the Lindworm has some honour.

 

“You are my bride?” the Lindworm screeches, rearing up to look at Weiss. “I am impressed. Are you impressed my dear bride?”

 

“I am... impressed,” Weiss chokes out, looking at the Lindworm’s scaly body with revulsion.

 

“Very well then,” King Tai jumps in. “We will begin.”

 

The ceremony is quick and to the point; Weiss and the Lindworm are wed, and Weiss is given the title of Princess, a title that Weiss never wanted. Afterwards, the Lindworm refuses a reception. Instead, the beast scoops Weiss up in their scaly tail and flies them into Weiss’s room through the open window.

 

“Unhand me you brute!” Weiss hisses, batting the Lindworm away once they land.

 

“I don’t have hands,” the Lindworm points out flatly. “And it is our wedding night my dear bride. That dress looks awfully stuffy, and I wouldn’t want my dear wife to be uncomfortable.”

 

“I’m very comfortable as I am,” Weiss sniffs.

 

“Disrobe,” the Lindworm orders, ignoring Weiss.

 

Weiss huffs, but takes off her wedding dress, hanging it over the back of a chair. The Lindworm sees the shifts and hisses in displeasure.

 

“Remove your shift,” the beast orders.

 

“Of course, but only if you shed a skin,” Weiss counters.

 

“No one has dared to ask me that before,” the Lindworm snarls.

 

“Your wife asks it of you now,” Weiss says. “Wouldn’t you do such a simple thing for your wife?”

 

“Fine,” the Lindworm yields, wriggling and writhing out of a skin.

 

Weiss, true to her word, removes a shift and tosses it to the floor leaving herself in only nine more.

 

“Remove your shift!” the Lindworm spits in anger.

 

“Remove a skin!” Weiss spits back.

 

This battle of skins and shifts goes back and forth until Weiss is only wearing three shifts. The Lindworm is much smaller now, slighter with scales pale and translucent.

 

“Please wife, remove your shift,” the Lindworm pants, voice small and defeated.

 

“Remove a skin,” Weiss holds firm.

 

“Ahh!” the Lindworm screams, twisting in agony. Their terrible tail lashes out and knocks a lamp over; the glass shatters and skitters across the floor. “Please! You ask too much of me!”

 

“I ask only what you can give,” Weiss says, voice unyielding.

 

The Lindworm howls as they shed another skin and Weiss, another shift.

 

When the Lindworm sheds their final skin, they do not look like a monster anymore. They appear to be a humanoid blob, hiding under a thick leathery membrane.

 

“Your shift,” the Lindworm squeaks, voice faint.

 

Weiss sheds the ninth shift, leaving her in her final one.

 

“I’m sorry for what I am about to do,” Weiss whispers before grabbing the hazel branches; she throws them into the tub of lye, grabbing branch after branch from the rub and beating the Lindworm with them.

 

The Lindworm writhes and thrashes, screaming in pain. Weiss sobs as she beats them, the lye burning the cuts and slivers she receives from the branches. When the final branch snaps, Weiss drags the bloody Lindworm into the tub of milk. Weiss washes the Lindworm, scrubbing at the bloody flesh until the milk turns red. Finished with these tasks, Weiss drags the Lindworm, much lighter now, in front of the fireplace and wraps them in all of her discarded shifts. Weiss clings and clutches to the Lindworm on the hard tile floor, rocking them both to sleep.

 

In the morning, Weiss awakens first. She gasps as she sees the Lindworm, now a beautiful blonde woman, sleeping in a cocoon of shifts while curled up in Weiss’s arms. The woman wakes up, blinking beautiful crystal clear lilac eyes up at Weiss.

 

“Who are you?” the woman mutters groggily, rubbing at her eyes. “Who am I?”

 

“You are Yang Xiao Long, and I am Weiss Schnee” Weiss whispers affectionately, pulling Yang closer to her. “Welcome home.”

 


	5. Sparring (Mulan)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Folktale of the day is Mulan. Once again, I kinda butchered it for my own purposes.

“You’re good to go,” Weiss says politely, ushering another solider out of her medical tent.

 

“You are doing an excellent job Weiss,” a deep voice rings out as the tent flap lifts.

 

“Oh! Thank you Uncl- General Ironwood,” Weiss stammers and turns red at her mistake.

 

“Uncle is fine when we’re alone,” General Ironwood chuckles. “Jacques will be pleased to hear that you are making such a difference in the lives of my men.”

 

“I just want to help people,” Weiss sighs, thinking of the war. She also wants to get away from her father, but she doubts her uncle would want to hear such talk.

 

“And you are doing a splendid job of it,” General Ironwood assures. “Oh, I think I hear more people coming; I’ll get out of your way now Weiss.”

 

Sure enough, two men, Jaune Arc and Lie Ren, barge into Weiss’s tent. They carry a fainted man in their arms.

 

“It’s Tai Yang Miss Schnee!” Jaune huffs and puffs as he and Ren set Tai Yang down on a bed.

 

“He was wheezing quite hard during warm up,” Ren recalls, calmly. “Tai just fainted during the run.”

 

“Thank you for the information,” Weiss makes sure to take note of everything. “I will perform a check-up, and you two are free to go to the mess hall. I need my space to work.”

 

Jaune and Ren thank Weiss, leaving Tai in her capable hands.

 

“Now Mr. Xiao Long,” Weiss mutters as she begins to open Tai’s shirt, “what appears to be the- Oh my goodness!”

 

Yang awakens to the sterile walls of the medical tent.

 

“Dammit,” Yang hisses, reaching to rub at her sore ribs only to jolt when she realizes she cannot feel her bandages.

 

“Looking for these?” Weiss asks, dangling the bandages from her fingers, as Yang finally notices that she isn’t alone.

 

“Shit,” Yang curses.

 

“Okay then Mr. Tai Yang Xiao Long, which I highly doubt is your name,” Weiss begins, taking a seat by Yang’s bed. “We have to have a little talk here.”

 

“My name is Yang,” Yang admits. “I cut my hair, bound my chest, and enlisted because my father is injured, and my sister needs him at home to take care of things. Our mother is dead.”

 

“Women cannot enlist. You’ll face the death penalty if discovered” Weiss sighs. “As archaic and backwards as that is, those are the rules. You can thank my father for that; he funds the majority of this military’s expenditures.”

 

“Please don’t tell your uncle,” Yang begs. “I can’t leave; they’ll take my dad!”

 

“Oh hush, I’m not that cruel,” Weiss frowns. “But bandages are a totally inappropriate method of binding. You’re lucky you only fainted! You could’ve broken your ribs! Died!”

 

“Well I can’t exactly go walking around with these out, now can I?” Yang fires back, cupping a tit and jiggling it at Weiss.

 

“That is so vulgar!” Weiss huffs. “I have compression shirts here that are designed to help soothe anxiety in some of the shell-shocked troops; you take one of them.”

 

Yang takes a compression shirt, opens her medical gown, and puts the compression shirt on.

 

“Hm,” Yang grunts, looking down her chest, “not perfect, but it works okay. Uniform will cover the rest.”

 

“Good,” Weiss says. “Now I have another condition that you must meet in order to ensure my silence.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Teach me to fight.”

 

“What?” Yang blurts out, confused. “Why would you need to learn such a skill?”

 

“My older sister can,” Weiss admits. “My father disowned her for it, but she still learned. I want to as well.”

 

“You’re a medic,” Yang argues. “You fix people, heal people, not hurt them.”

 

“Who says I can’t do both?”

 

And Yang has nothing to say to that.

 

Weiss and Yang begin meeting in whatever wooded clearing or flat they can find as the troops continue to move. They meet under the cover of night, and Yang teaches Weiss the basics.

 

“Punch,” Yang orders the first night they meet.

 

“Umm, like this?” Weiss asks and throws her arm out.

 

“Okay, now I know what we’re starting with,” Yang facepalms. “When you make a fist, your thumb should be on the outside of your other four fingers. If it’s inside, you’ll break it if you hit hard enough.”

 

Weiss nods and tries again, gasping when Yang grabs her shoulders.

 

“Twist as you punch,” Yang instructs, manipulating Weiss’s shoulders with her hands. “You’ll hit harder. Throw your body behind it.”

 

Weiss nods, face red as she tries again.

 

“Good,” Yang says approvingly. “Now give me one hundred against that tree over there. I wrapped a mat around it so your knuckles won’t split.”

 

“What?!” Weiss pales, looking at Yang.

 

“You heard me princess,” Yang smirks. “You wanted to learn, and this is how. Now get to it.”

 

Yang expects Weiss to protest, throw an entitled princess hissy fit. Instead, Weiss squares her jaw, marches resolutely to the tree, and starts her set.

 

“One, two, three...” Weiss counts as she punches.

 

Yang only watches as Weiss pushes forward, continuing even as sweat rolls into her eyes.

 

 _‘Huh, I guess she is tougher than she looks,’_ Yang thinks to herself.

 

The lessons continue for weeks, and Yang is surprised at how quickly Weiss learns and grows.

 

“Spar with me,” Weiss demands one day.

 

“Geez, punching the general’s niece. Seems like a bad idea,” Yang chuckles. “I like my head on my shoulders.”

 

“Spar me,” Weiss demands again.

 

“Weiss, I am so much bigger than you. If I hit you it’s gonna- whoa!” Yang jumps back as Weiss lunges forward, fist out. Yang blocks with her right arm, knocking Weiss’s fist away.

 

Weiss grunts and aims a cheap kick for Yang’s knee; Yang intercepts with another block.

 

Weiss tries three more times, each punch and kick deflected by Yang.

 

“Hit me back,” Weiss grunts.

 

“Fine,” Yang says with a smile, aiming a left hook at Weiss’s pretty face. Weiss brings both arms up in a block, hissing when Yang’s fist makes contact.

 

“Ow,” Weiss whines, dropping her arms.

 

“Do you want to stop?” Yang asks, arms still up.

 

“I’m not done yet!”

 

“I’ve got to _hand_ it to you Weiss, that was a decent punch!” Yang laughs after Weiss lands a right hook on Yang’s jaw.

 

“It’s not a decent punch if you can still make puns,” Weiss pants, frustrated. It doesn’t even look like Yang is affected, and Weiss put all her energy behind that punch. Weiss is so caught up in her thoughts, she doesn’t see Yang’s leg until it’s too late.

 

Weiss finds herself on her back and looking at the stars, right ribs throbbing from where Yang’s roundhouse kick hit.

 

“Shit,” Weiss whimpers, rolling onto her left and curling up into a little ball.

 

“Shit,” Yang says also, dropping to her knees beside Weiss. Yang pulls Weiss into her arms, cradling her like a child. “Weiss, are you okay?”

 

“Fine,” Weiss sniffs. “My pride hurts more than anything, really.”

 

“You just need more practice,” Yang promises, pulling Weiss up into a standing position.

 

Yang and Weiss spar weekly from that day on. The moon is full and low in the sky when Weiss manages to grapple Yang into a submission hold, Yang tapping out for the first time.

 

“You did good,” Yang wheezes as Weiss adjusts herself above Yang, bracing her arms by Yang’s head, hovering.

 

“You didn’t let me win, did you?” Weiss asks suspiciously.

 

“Not at all,” Yang assures. “You’re like a glass cannon Weiss, you’re fast and you hit hard, but it doesn’t take much to take you down.”

 

Weiss smiles bigger, pleased with herself as she watches Yang pant. Yang’s cheeks are flushed with exhaustion, and Weiss is suddenly very aware of the fact that she is straddling Yang.

 

“Oh,” Weiss gasps, trying to roll off of Yang only to be held in place by Yang’s hands.

 

“Stay a while,” Yang whispers, carding a hand in Weiss’s hair and pulling her down.

 

Weiss offers no resistance, angling her head to catch Yang’s lips in a kiss. The peck is quick and chaste, but when Yang tries to pull away, Weiss follows. She catches Yang in a more aggressive kiss, tongue and teeth joining in.

 

“Shit,” Yang gasps, pulling away. “Weiss, shit!”

 

“Was I bad?” Weiss asks nervously.

 

“No, dust no! But shit, Weiss! I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have done that! We can’t do this!”

 

“It’s not like anyone is up at this hour,” Weiss argues.

 

“Not the point,” Yang says, pushing Weiss off of her. “You’re the general’s niece, and I’m a farmer’s kid. Come on, let’s both get to bed. Lessons are over; I have nothing more to teach you.”

 

“Yang, p-”

 

“Goodnight Weiss.”

 

The following weeks are strained and awkward between Yang and Weiss, but they have no time to reflect on their relationship as the war with Salem’s forces and her Grimm warriors comes to a boil. The final stand is vicious, and many good warriors fall. Weiss scans the faces of each soldier lifted into her tent looking for Yang, and Weiss doesn’t know whether to feel relief or dread as each passing face is not Yang.

 

“Medic! We need a medic!” Ren yells, barreling into the tent with a wounded soldier in his arms. Weiss can see that their right arm is gone. “Tai is injured!”

 

“Yang!” Weiss cries, horrified before racing to Yang’s side. "It looks bad. Ren, follow me and we'll take Yang to a private tent. If I have to cauterize anything I... I don't want anyone else to have to smell it." 

 

Ren follows Weiss to a smaller private tent and lowers Yang onto a bed. Weiss busies herself cleaning Yang’s stump. The tourniquet holds fast, and Weiss gets ready to cauterize. The smell of burning flesh fills the tent, and Weiss is grateful that Yang is asleep for this. Removing the tourniquet, Weiss realizes that Ren has not moved from his spot.

 

“Yang- Tai Yang, I mean, will be okay,” Weiss assures, administering a small dose of morphine to Yang. “Sh- _He_ just needs rest now.”

 

“I’m glad,” Ren smiles. “She’s a good friend.”

 

“Yes, she-,” Weiss gasps looking at Ren; Ren looks back with a serene smile. “You know?”

 

“Since day one,” Ren admits. “Don’t worry Miss. Schnee. I didn’t tell, and I have no plans to.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Yang fought bravely today,” Ren recollects. “She carried the day, and I’m fairly certain General Ironwood will offer her fair compensation before sending her home.”

 

“My uncle is honourable like that,” Weiss acknowledges.

 

“If Yang didn’t lose her arm, I’m certain General Ironwood would have tried to keep her for his army. She would have been found out eventually.”

 

“It’s a bitter blessing then,” Weiss sighs. “She’ll get to keep her head and go home to her family.”

 

“I’ll be taking my leave then. They’ll need help digging the graves; there is simply too many bodies to transport home,” Ren says grimly, stepping out.

 

“You moron,” Weiss scoffs at Yang once they are alone. Weiss pulls up a stool and takes Yang’s remaining hand in her own two. “Wake up you dolt, so I can tell you how reckless you are.”

 

With impeccable timing, Yang blinks her eyes groggily.

 

“Weissss,” Yang slurs, squinting up at Weiss’s face, willing her eyes to focus.

 

“Yang,” Weiss gasps, “you’re awake!”

 

“Course I am,” Yang mumbles. She tries to bring her right hand to her face, freezing when she sees the remains of her arm.

 

“Yang,” Weiss coos, keeping her voice steady and calm. “Yang, it’s going to be alright.”

 

Yang continues staring, eyes wide and whole body shaking. Weiss reaches over with a hand, placing it on Yang’s cheek before turning her head to face Weiss.

 

“Yang,” Weiss practically sings. “Things will be alright. After things settle down, we’ll go to your home. You’ll be with your father and sister again, and I will see you home.”

 

Yang still looks fearful, unconvinced.

 

“Trust me, Yang,” Weiss implores, running a thumb over Yang’s cheek. “I’ll stay with you every step of the way.”

 

“Okay,” Yang finally whispers.

 

“Good,” Weiss breathes, relieved. “Go back to sleep Yang, you need your rest now.”

 

“Will you still be here when I wake up?” Yang asks, voice brittle and light.

 

“I will,” Weiss vows.

 

“Do you promise?”

 

“I promise I will be here for you Yang.”

 

The future looks bleak, and Weiss feels apprehensive about the tumultuous state of her relationship with Yang. Additionally, Weiss can feel her eyes involuntarily tear as she watches Yang drift back to sleep. Despite it all, Weiss feels hope; she knows how strong Yang is. Weiss knows that losing an arm will only be a setback in the life of Yang Xiao Long; it will not break her. Weiss also knows that she will be there for Yang every step of the way; after all, Weiss made a promise, and she doesn’t go back on her word.


	6. First Date (The Princess and the Frog)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fairytale is: the Princess and the Frog. But not a frog, a lizard.

One day, on a fine spring evening, Weiss Schnee walks up the path behind Winter and her’s seamstress shop. Weiss brings an empty bucket to the well at the end of the path, attaching it to the rope, Weiss brings up a bucket of cool well water. Unfortunately for Weiss, as she detaches the rope from the bucket handle, her jeweled necklace comes loose and tumbles into the well.

 

“Oh, shoot!” Weiss gasps, putting the full bucket on the ground and leaning over the well. “Dammit!”

 

Peering down the well, Weiss can see nothing but darkness. Weiss reaches down and feels the walls of the well; they are slick and slippery. Weiss realizes that she would be unable to get sufficient grip to climb down. Reaching down for a stone, Weiss drops it down the well, hearing a faint splash many seconds later.

 

“Dammit,” Weiss sniffles now, starting to cry. The necklace had been the last gift she had ever gotten from her late maternal grandfather. Thinking of him now, Weiss begins crying in earnest.

 

“What’s going on here? Your wailing has woken me from my nap,” a golden lizard emerges from a fissure in the well’s walls. “What’s up buttercup?”

 

Weiss looks at the lizard in shock, shock so deeply shocking that Weiss momentarily stops crying.

 

“You can talk?”

 

“I’m talking to you now, aren’t I?” the lizard asks, swishing around her long tail. “Now you wanna tell me what’s making you weep?”

 

“My necklace,” Weiss explains. “It fell down the well, and I want it back! It’s the last thing I have from my grandfather!” Finished explaining, Weiss bursts into tears again.

 

“Hmm, sounds like a real pickle. I can get it for you if you want,” the lizard offers. “For a price, of course.”

 

“My sister and I are but poor seamstresses,” Weiss whispers. “We were disowned by our father, and now we are barely making ends meet. I don’t have any spare lien.”

 

“I don’t want lien,” the lizard assures.

 

“What is your price then?”

 

“I want to have dinner with you-,” the lizard begins.

 

“Like a date?” Weiss asks, incredulous.

 

“If you want to think of it that way, sure” the lizard agrees. “I want to eat off your plate and sleep in your bed.”

 

“Just for one night?” Weiss asks with a cringe.

 

“Nope! The rest of my life as a lizard,” the lizard corrects.

 

“That’s absurd!” Weiss shrieks. “I refuse.”

 

“Well then, good luck getting your necklace back,” the lizard flicks her spindly little tail before slinking back to their fissure to resume sleep.

 

Watching the lizard slink away, Weiss panics.

 

“Wait! I accept your terms! Just get me my necklace!”

 

The lizard grins and slides down the well, emerging minutes later with Weiss’s treasured necklace. Grinning with joy, Weiss latches the necklace firmly around her neck.

 

“Don’t forget your end of the bargain,” the lizard reminds, crawling onto Weiss’s shoulder.

 

Weiss shudders at the smooth feel of reptilian skin on her own.

 

“Fine. I am Weiss Schnee, and Schnees do not go back on their word.”

 

With that declaration, Weiss picks up her full bucket and marches home. Weiss walks through the store on the main floor before climbing the ladder up to the loft that she shares with Winter.

 

“I’m back!” Weiss announces, setting the bucket on the kitchen counter. Winter stirs at a pot of soup; turning to face her sister, Winter quirks a brow up at the little guest on Weiss’s shoulder.

 

“I am Yang Xiao Long,” the lizard introduces herself.

 

“Xiao Long. Little Dragon,” Winter repeats, not at all affected by the sight of a talking lizard. “That’s a little pretentious, don’t you think?”

 

Yang hisses, scowling.

 

“Weiss,” Winter addresses, turning to her sister, “why is there a talking lizard on your shoulder?”

 

“She assisted me, and I promised her that she would live with me, eat off my plate, and sleep in my bed,” Weiss admits. “Schnees do not go back on their word.”

 

“No, we don’t,” Winter agrees with a firm nod. “It might be nice to have a pet around.”

 

“I am nobody’s pet!” Yang cries, indignant.

 

The sisters ignore the lizard, setting up dinner. Winter and Weiss seat themselves, and Yang crawls onto the table beside Weiss’s bowl.

 

“So, Yang, is it?” Winter asks, watching Weiss feed the little lizard soup from her own spoon. Winter commends her sister’s dedication to keeping her word.

 

“That’s me,” the lizard chirps.

 

“Who exactly are you? I can’t say talking lizards are common around here.”

 

“Hm,” Yang hums, finishing off her last spoonful of soup. “I’m just a little lizard down on her luck is all.”

 

“I can relate,” Weiss snorts, eating the remainder of her soup.

 

“Aww, now why say that Weiss?” Yang asks, cocking her little scaly head to the side. “Sure, you and your sister might not be rich, but you still have each other, don’t you? You’re _Schnee-mstresses_! I’d give anything to see my baby sister again.”

 

“Baby sister? Why can’t you see her?” Winter asks, expression sympathetic.

 

“Just can’t,” Yang shrugs. “Great dinner by the way, thanks! Best first date I’ve ever been on!”

 

“Yang!” Weiss hisses, face flaming while Winter looks on in amusement.

 

“First date?” Winter teases.

 

“Winter! Please!” Weiss begs.

 

“Can I help with dishes?” Yang asks, ignoring Weiss. “If I’m living here, I should pull my own weight.”

 

“You can fit inside a bowl,” Weiss sneers. “I don’t think you’ll be of much help. Just take a nap inside my pocket or something.”

 

“Don’t underestimate me,” Yang scowls, scurrying from the table to the sink quickly. Winter dumps half the bucket of water into the sink, and she loads it with dirty dishes.

 

“Show us what you can do then Yang,” Winter offers.

 

“With pleasure!” Yang laughs. She can tip a little soap into the sink; it’s easy enough even for a lizard. Grabbing the sponge with her front claws, Yang launches into the sink and hits a bowl. Using her back legs, Yang forces herself back and forth. Winter chuckles at the display while Weiss scowls.

 

“Enough!” Weiss huffs, taking the sponge from Yang before yanking Yang herself out of the sink and rinsing her soapy little self in the bucket. “At the rate you’re going, it’ll be breakfast before anything is clean!”

 

Shoving an indignant Yang into her pocket, Weiss finishes the dishes with Winter. Yang is released from her fabric prison when Weiss changes into her nightgown for bed. The bed is a threadbare mattress on the floor, and Weiss plops down on it with a thump. Crawling out of the pocket of Weiss’s discarded dress, Yang moseys on up on to the bed, crawls onto Weiss’s pillow, and nestles herself down in Weiss’s silky hair.

 

“Goodnight Weiss.”

 

“Goodnight Yang.”

 

Despite the odd events of the day, Weiss falls asleep quickly, her sleep deep and restful.

 

“Wake up.”

 

Weiss groans, hearing a sunny voice and feeling a tapping on her cheek.

 

“Five more minutes, please Winter.”

 

“The sun is out Weiss, and your sister is making breakfast.”

 

“Huh? Who are you then?” Weiss asks, eyes slamming open and body bolting upright. Unfortunately, Yang is still tangled in her hair, and Yang is sent hurtling across the room and into a wall.

 

“Yang!” Weiss shrieks, throwing her blankets to the side and racing to the little lizard. Weiss picks Yang up and cradles Yang in her hands. “Are you okay?”

 

Yang shakes her little lizard head.

 

“I’m good. A little rattled but good. I’m hungry though.”

 

“Thank goodness,” Weiss breaths, relieved. Changing into her day clothes, Weiss lets Yang perch on her shoulder.

 

“Good morning sister,” Weiss greets, walking to the kitchen table and helping Winter serve the sausages and eggs.

 

“Good morning Winter,” Yang chimes in, skittering onto the table from Weiss’s shoulder. “Your cooking smells delicious.”

 

“Hm,” Winter hums in acknowledgement. “Weiss, we have an order for a ball gown due at the end of this month. The body is done, but the embellishments need to be added.”

 

“Ugh,” Weiss groans. “That’s a lot of hemline to embroider.”

 

“I can help!” Yang offers, speaking around a mouthful of eggs and sausage.

 

“How?” Weiss asks, incredulous. “You don’t even have opposable thumbs.”

 

“Pft, those are overrated,” Yang snorts, finishing her breakfast from Weiss’s plate. “I can do it!”

 

“Like the dishes?” Weiss reminds.

 

“I had that under control until you decided to step in!” Yang argues.

 

Weiss looks to Winter who only shrugs in response as if to say _‘let her try.’_

After breakfast is all cleaned and put away, Winter and Weiss open up shop while Yang scurries to the back and begins to work on embroidering the ball gown. Winter and Weiss go through the motions of dealing with customers, collecting payment, and making quick alterations. During a lull in the day, Weiss peeks into the back.

 

“Wow,” Weiss gasps, seeing the pretty golden pattern jump out against the red. “You’re pretty good at that, quick too.”

 

Weiss watches as Yang pushes the needle with the golden thread through the fabric with her claw. Yang catches the needle with the mouth in order to pull it out before passing it back to her claw and starting again.

 

“See? I told you I could!” Yang gloats.

 

“You did,” Weiss yields. “Good job! Winter can handle the front, let me join you.”

 

Weiss and Yang fall into a simple pattern as the days pass. They sleep together, awaken, and work on the embroidery of the ball gown’s seemingly endless hemline. The lizard and girl enjoy companionable banter, Weiss finding the Yang’s sense of humor rough but charming and Yang finding Weiss warm and soft under her protective and frosty outer shell.

 

“Hey Weiss,” Yang mumbles around the needle clenched in her jaw, “can I ask you something?”

 

“You just did,” Weiss points out, making a tight chain stitch on the right sleeve. “But you may ask another if you wish.”

 

“Are you and Winter happy?”

 

Weiss stops embroidering, looking at Yang with weary eyes.

 

“We’re together, and we’re off the streets,” Weiss sighs. “That’s more than enough for me.”

 

“Hm, you and Winter were disowned, why?”

 

“My father –former father rather- is a rich merchant,” Weiss explains. “But he had cruel and unjust business practices. Winter and I spoke out against him, and he disowned us. Now, here we are.”

 

“That’s harsh Weiss,” Yang frowns. “I’m sorry.”

 

“Don’t be. I think I get to ask you some questions now,” Weiss asserts. “Yang, what and who exactly are you?”

 

“I’m a lizard,” Yang answers. “I can’t really say anymore.”

 

“That’s not fair!” Weiss huffs. “I answered your questions! Don’t you trust me?”

 

“I do trust you,” Yang assures. “It’s just that I literally cannot tell you. I am physically unable to. All I can tell you is that I pissed someone off –a someone with strong magic-, and now I am lizard.”

 

“A curse,” Weiss realizes. “Yang, is there any way to break it?”

 

“Yup,” Yang nods, pulling the needle and thread through the fabric. “But, once again, I cannot tell you. Magic has weird rules like that.”

 

“Well, if you ever find a way to tell me, do so, and I will assist you in whatever way I can,” Weiss offers, picking her needle back up.

 

“Thanks Weiss,” Yang returns with gratitude.

 

The weeks pass by, and the ball gown is almost finished. Yang has been with Weiss for a full month when Winter storms into the backroom where Weiss and Yang are embroidering.

 

“They took it back!” Winter groans pinching the bridge of her nose. “They cancelled the order today! The ball gown! They paid the deposit, but it’ll barely cover the cost of materials, let alone labour.”

 

“We can just sell it as is once we finish,” Weiss offers.

 

“In what time?” Winter laughs bitterly. “We aren’t well financially Weiss. Without this order, we can’t make rent this month.”

 

“Ouch,” Yang winces. “Is your land lady going to kick you out?”

 

“Ms. Goodwitch is quite stern,” Winter admits. “I’ll need to go talk to her right away. I’m closing shop for the day Weiss, we have to figure out finances before we take another order.”

 

Weiss watches as Winter grabs her jacket and heads out the door, flipping the sign to closed on the way out.

 

“Oh, I don’t think this will end well,” Weiss whispers, hugging herself.

 

“We should finish the dress,” Yang suggests. “It’s only a few stitches more anyways.”

 

“Didn’t you hear? The order got cancelled.”

 

“It’s a shame to leave such a lovely dress unfinished,” Yang shrugs. “Finishing the dress won’t hurt anyone.”

 

Sighing, Weiss picks her needle back up and begins embroidering again if only to take her mind off things. Following Weiss’s lead, Yang returns to embroidering as well. The girls work in silence for a while longer before their needles meet and the dress is finished. Weiss picks Yang up, and she steps back to admire their work.

 

“It’s lovely,” Yang notes.

 

And the gown is indeed lovely. The bottom is grand without being obnoxious, and the sleeves are long and elegant. The deep red gown is only made lovelier with the golden flowers blossoming on the hemlines.

 

“Too bad it won’t keep me and Winter off the streets,” Weiss laughs hollowly.

 

“Hey now! You’ll find a way,” Yang assures. “If all else fails, you can sell me as an exotic pet. I’m sure a talking lizard would fetch a great deal of lien at market.”

 

“Don’t be a pest,” Weiss snorts. “I’m never going to sell you Yang. You’re my friend.”

 

“Awww. You’re my friend too Weiss,” Yang admits with a grin.

 

The grinning lizard in Weiss’s cupped palms is just too darn cute to resist, and Weiss plants a quick kiss on the top of Yang’s head. However, the instant Weiss’s lips leave Yang, she begins to glow and warm.

 

“Eep!” Weiss shrieks, launching Yang from her hands and down the ball gown’s neckline.

 

There is a blinding flash, and when Weiss can see again, she sees a breathtakingly beautiful blonde woman dressed in the ball gown.

 

“Y-you’re a- a-,” Weiss stammers, pointing at the woman in a most undignified fashion.

 

“I’m Yang,” Yang giggles. “And you should see your face right now Weiss!”

 

“A- how did thi- you...,” Weiss wheezes, gathering her bearings before speaking again. “Yang Xiao Long! No wonder the name was so familiar! You’re the crown princess of Patch! King Tai Yang’s daughter! You went missing over a month ago!”

 

“Yup,” Yang confirms, swishing around in the ball gown and looking at herself in the backroom’s mirror. “It’s nice to be human again. Thanks Weiss! I needed to share food, a bed, and a kiss with someone in order to break the curse.”

 

“Princess Yang I-”

 

“Ick,” Yang sticks out her tongue. “Don’t start with that hoity toity nonsense Weiss. Just call me and treat me as you always have.”

 

“It would be most improper!” Weiss argues.

 

“Then consider it an order then,” Yang counters.

 

“I’m about to be homeless,” Weiss reminds.

 

“Nope you’re not. You and Winter are more than welcome to come back to Patch with me,” Yang offers. “You could work in the courts, or get another shop in the town, or whatever you two want really.”

 

Weiss looks at Yang, really studies her face before bursting into laughter.

 

“Hey!” Yang whines, offended. “That was a genuine offer Weiss! You don’t have to laugh at me!”

 

“I’m sorry,” Weiss giggles. “I just feel everything is so absurd right now.”

 

“A little,” Yang agrees. “Never thought our _‘first date,’_ would lead us here, eh?”

 

“Nope,” Weiss says with a smile. “It’s a nice surprise though.”

 

“Yeah, well if you come to Patch with me, I’ll take you on a second date there,” Yang promises. “I one hundred percent guarantee that it will amaze you.”

 

“You’d want to do that?” Weiss asks in disbelief. “You're a princess! You’d want to date me?”

 

“Why not?” Yang mutters, blushing. “You’re sweet and smart and pretty. And you broke my curse; I’d consider myself pretty lucky to be dating you.”

 

“Oh,” Weiss blushes too now. “Wow.”

 

“So?” Yang presses. “What do you say? Want to come with me to Patch? Want to go on that second date?”

 

Weiss looks to Yang’s infectious grin and feels herself smile in return.

 

“I’d love to.”


	7. Reunion (The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's folktale comes from ancient China, the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. I, once again, have changed a bunch of stuff.

“Ugh!” Yang whines. “This is booooring!”

 

“Yang,” Tai warns, “behave. You cannot descend to earth.”

 

“I want to,” Yang continues whining. “I want to race in the sky, dance on the earth, and everything in between. Being a dragon is boring! I want to explore and have fun!”

 

“Being a dragon is an honour! Earth and humans will ne-”

 

“I didn’t ask to be born a dragon!” Yang points out. “I want to go to earth and make friends and see people.”

 

“Yes, how inconsiderate of your mother and I for making you,” Tai sneers with an added eye roll for flourish. “If you want to act like a child fine, come find me after you’ve calmed down.”

 

Tai leaves in a swish of scales, and Yang rolls her eyes. Looking down from the heavens, Yang sees humans mill about their daily lives, their spontaneity and liveliness a sharp contrast to the slow and monotonous turn of the heavens. Looking over both shoulders, Yang sees that she is alone. Seizing the opportunity, Yang descends from the heavens, landing in a mountain forest with a crystal-clear spring.

 

“Hm,” Yang hums and stretches her long reptilian like body. “I should probably blend in.”

 

Shedding her beautiful golden scales in the form of a dress, Yang assumes the form of a tall blonde woman. Completely nude, Yang jumps into the spring, giggling as she splashes around.

 

In that same forest, a huntress, Weiss Schnee, looks for game to shoot and sell in the village market. Looking into the distance, Weiss spots something golden and fluttering on a tree branch. Aiming her rifle, Weiss fires, and the fluttering gold falls. Running to the location of her shot, Weiss retrieves the golden object, realizing that it is a dress.

 

“What in the-”

 

Weiss whirls around and sees Yang step out of the spring. Completely nude.

 

“Oh goodness! Have some decency please! Cover up!” Weiss demands, covering flaming face with her hands, the dress drops.

 

“Damn,” Yang whistles, ignoring Weiss and picking up her dress. Yang exams the hole through the back where Weiss’s bullet hit. “Looks like I’m going to be stuck here for a while.”

 

“What do you mean that- cover up you dolt!” Weiss shrieks, daring to put her hands down only to immediately cover her face again seeing Yang standing there apparently unconcerned by her own nudity.

 

“Can’t go home without my dress,” Yang sighs. “I guess I’ll just have to stay here and repair it until it’s functional again.”

 

Looking again and realizing Yang is still naked, Weiss removes her cloak, draping it over Yang’s shoulders. The shoulders are a bit tight, actually, and the cloak doesn’t even reach past Yang’s knees, but Weiss figures its better than nothing.

 

“Where are you from?” Weiss asks, calmer now that Yang is dressed. “Please let me take you home. I’ll also compensate you for whatever your dress is worth, my apologies for shooting it.”

 

“Weren’t you even listening?” Yang scoffs. “I can’t go home! I need my dress otherwise I quite literally cannot physically return home.”

 

“That doesn’t make sense!” Weiss argues.

 

“I’m a dragon!” Yang groans, exasperated. “Gosh, you humans are exhausting. Is there a cave around here or anything? I’m going to need a den while I fix my dress.”

 

Weiss looks at Yang, wide eyed and slack jawed.

 

 _‘A dragon?’_ Weiss thinks. _‘Perhaps I should find a doctor; she must have hit her head. But she seems perfectly coherent.’_

“My name is Weiss Schnee,” Weiss offers instead. “I am a huntress living in the village down the mountain.”

 

“I’m Yang Xiao Long,” Yang returns, still running her fingers over her dress. “Now about that cave.”

 

“You cannot live in a cave!” Weiss yells, clenching her fists dramatically.

 

“I have before,” Yang snorts and rolls her eyes. “If you won’t tell me, then I’ll just go find one by myself.” That being said, Yang moves her hands up to unbutton Weiss’s cloak in order to return it.

 

“Stop!” Weiss snaps, knocking Yang’s hands away. “Come with me! You’ll live in my hut for the time being.”

 

“Now I can’t-”

 

“Consider it repayment for the destruction of your dress.”

 

Yang seems to consider this before nodding. On the way back, Weiss is quiet, and Yang doing her best to pressed more than one word responses from Weiss.

 

“So, Weiss, what’s the village like?”

 

“Quiet.”

 

“You married? Got any kidlets?”  


“No to both.”

 

“Any other family?”

 

“Not anymore.”

 

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

 

“Don’t be.”

 

Weiss and Yang fall into an awkward silence for a few paces before Yang once again feels the need to speak.

 

“Aren’t you going to ask me anything?”

 

“No. Is there something you want to tell me?”

 

“Hmm,” Yang furrows her brows, tapping a finger to her chin. “Nothing much. My dad is a hardass sometimes, but he’s a good guy. I’m going to miss him while I’m here. I haven’t heard from my mom in years.”

 

“Oh, that’s unfortunate.”

 

Yang shrugs.

 

“It is what it is.”

 

Weiss and Yang break out of the forest then, the sleep little village coming into view. Weiss’s hut is on the edge of the forest and village, and Yang finds it to be cozy and homely.

 

“Wow,” Yang gasps, looking around and plopping on an old chair. “This is cozy.”

 

“It’s a hovel,” Weiss corrects from her closet, digging around and pulling out a shirt and pants. “These should fit you. They’re from- well they’re yours now.”

 

Weiss turns as Yang talks off the cloak, throwing on the shirt and pants.

 

“Fits fine. Thanks Weiss,” Yang says with a grin sitting down again and examining the hole in her gold dress.

 

“Do you need materials to fix it?” Weiss asks. “I can get some gold thread in town, but I have needles here.”

 

“Nope,” Yang answers. “It just needs some time, a lot of time actually since I can’t shift.”

 

“How long?”

 

“Eh, not sure. A year or so maybe, so not long at all.”

 

“How is a year or so not long?” Weiss barks, shocked.

 

“Oh yeah, I forgot how short you humans live,” Yang chuckles. “Years might as well be millennia for your kind.”

 

“Deep breaths,” Weiss mutters to herself, turning away from Yang. “Inhale, hold, exhale, hold, and repeat.”

 

Taking a few breaths, Weiss faces Yang again. Yang does look quite serious; like she actually believes that she is indeed a dragon.

 

“Okay,” Weiss drawls hesitantly. “Okay then. Well, why don’t you start mending your dress, and I’ll make dinner.”

 

“Kay, that sounds great,” Yang chirps, hanging her dress over a chair and lying down on the couch.

 

Weiss chooses her battles wisely and moves to the little stove, warming up some leftover congee from the morning.

 

“Do you need any help?” Yang asks from the couch, humming as if she hasn’t got a care in the world.

 

“Just... just stay where you are please,” Weiss sighs. “I have a feeling that this is going to take a little longer than I expected.”

 

The following weeks are a steep learning curve. Rules and boundaries are made, promptly broken, and re-established. Eventually, the girls settle into a routine. Weiss goes out, hunts, sells some of her catch and comes home to Yang. Yang spends her days cleaning the hut, mending her dress, and cooking. It’s a nice arrangement, Weiss thinks over dinner one day. The hut feels fuller, less lonely, and Weiss loves having someone to come home to.

 

“How’s the dress coming along?” Weiss asks after swallowing a mouthful of stir fried noodles.

 

“Eh,” Yang shrugs. “It’s coming.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“I went into the village today,” Yang informs. “I bought new curtains for the window. The old ones were ratty.”

 

“How much were they?” Weiss groans, feeling a headache being to form. It might have been a mistake to give Yang access to her lien, but Yang needs it to get groceries, so Weiss yielded.

 

“Ten?” Yang guesses, trying to remember. “Maybe fifteen.”

 

“Acceptable,” Weiss sighs in relief.

 

The seasons shift from summer to fall, and a chill sets into the mountainside. Weiss shivers in her bed at night, watching Yang snore away on the couch. Yang runs hot; Weiss remembers the warmth of Yang’s skin longingly. Yang’s snores quiet down a bit, the dragon blinking herself awake.

 

“Weiss?” Yang calls out. “Are you okay?”

 

“I am,” Weiss answers. “Why did you wake up? Nightmare?”

 

“Eh, not really,” Yang sighs. “Just felt weird.”

 

“Well, if you’re feeling off, you can come bunk with me,” Weiss offers. “No ulterior motives or anything like that at all.”

 

Yang pauses for a few moments before throwing her blankets up and walking to the bed. Yang lifts Weiss’s blanket, the sudden rush of cold air causing Weiss to shiver before Yang slips under the covers beside her.

 

“Night Weiss,” Yang yawns, promptly falling asleep.

 

“Good night Yang,” Weiss whispers, snuggling up to Yang’s warmth.

 

Weiss and Yang share a bed from then on, Yang never returning to the couch. More time passes, and it is the middle of winter when they share their first kiss.

 

“I made a roast,” Yang calls out, not even turning away from the stove when she hears the door open and close. “Potatoes and beans too.”

 

“That sounds delicious,” Weiss answers, sniffling a little with the cold. She takes off her coat and hangs it.

 

“Did you shake that out before you hung it up? You know that if snow melts on t-”

 

“Yes Yang,” Weiss interrupts, rolling her eyes affectionately and walking to Yang. “I remembered. Can I help with anything?”

 

“Nope, just needs some more time,” Yang notes, turning to face Weiss. “What’s with the big smile? You’re not usually so happy.”

 

“I got you this!” Weiss thrusts something soft into Yang’s hands.

 

“Oh, Weiss you did need to- oh wow! Thanks!” Yang grins, running her fingers over the soft orange fabric of a scarf.

 

“I figured you need something for the cold,” Weiss says, blushing and look away from Yang. “Do you like it?”

 

“I love it,” Yang assures, putting the scarf on right away. “Thank you!” Grinning at Weiss, Yang leans down and pecks Weiss on the lips real quick.

 

“Oh,” Weiss whispers, covering her lips daintily with her finger tips. “Oh.”

 

Yang only smiles.

 

“I think the roast should be done now. Let’s eat!”

 

When spring blooms again, Weiss and Yang are comfortably in love.

 

“Hm, love can you get the kettle please,” Yang asks from the couch. “I would, but I’m just really cozy.”

 

“At least you’re honest,” Weiss sighs, walking past Yang, giving her a quick kiss before proceeding to the kitchen in order to take the screaming kettle off of the stove.

 

“Thank you, Weiss.”

 

From the kitchen, Weiss notices that their closet is open, and Yang’s gold dress hangs there.

 

“Yang,” Weiss calls.

 

“Yes dear?”

 

“Is your dress mended yet?”

 

Yang doesn’t answer right away, her face taking a peculiar expression.

 

“It’s... it’s coming along.”

 

“Well, what if I got you a new one?” Weiss offers.

 

“Weiss, it’s a magical dress. I don’t think the local market h-”

 

“What if I got you a wedding dress?” Weiss offers again, face flushed, but she maintains eye contact.

 

“Oh.”

 

“I mean, I don’t want to pressure you or... if you don’t want to we can forget the conversation ever happened!”

 

“I’d like that, actually.”

 

Weiss squeals, jumping over the back of the couch and into Yang’s arms. They hug and kiss and cuddle, and Yang spends the whole time looking over Weiss’s shoulder at her gold dress still hanging in the closet.

 

Spring wilts into summer again, and it’s been a full year since Yang and Weiss met. Weiss is happy, humming as she plans their wedding, but Yang grows more anxious with every passing day. Finally, a week before the wedding, Yang’s golden dress is whole again; Yang knows what this means. She waits until the dead of night, untangling herself from Weiss’s sleeping form, Yang puts her gold dress back on, takes the scarf that Weiss first gifted her, and sneaks out of the hut. Stepping onto the grass, Yang feels herself take on her familiar golden dragon body.

 

“You weren’t lying.”

 

Yang whips around. Weiss stands in the doorway of their hut, slack jawed and wide eyed.

 

“No,” Yang shakes her head. “I wasn’t lying.”

 

Weiss steps forward, holding both hands out until she stands next to Yang’s head. The orange scarf sits snug around Yang’s long neck.

 

“May I?”

 

Yang presses her snout into Weiss’s hands instead of answering verbally. Weiss’s hands are gentle and soft as they feel around Yang’s whiskers and scales.

 

“I still love you,” Weiss clarifies. “I still want to marry you.”

 

“Me too,” Yang rumbles. “But I can’t Weiss, I have to go back now. It’s the law of magic, and I cannot stay.”

 

“What?!” Weiss gasps, jumping back. “Yang!”

 

“I’m sorry Weiss,” Yang grunts, lifting into the air and beginning her flight up the mountain. “I love you. Goodbye.”

 

“Wait! Yang!” Weiss shrieks running after Yang.

 

Yang flies slowly, and many years of hunting on the mountain allows Weiss to keep up. Jumping over rocks and scaling cliff faces, Weiss sprints up the mountain, hot on Yang’s heels. Dawn is breaking when both the dragon and girl reach the peak. Seeing an opening, Weiss lunges and grabs Yang’s tail.

 

“Let me go!” Yang barks. “Don’t make this harder for me! Please Weiss!”

 

“Take me with you!” Weiss begs, crying. “Yang! If you have to go, take me with you!”

 

“I can’t!” Yang howls, trying to shake Weiss off without hurting her.

 

“No!” Weiss sobs. “I won’t accept this!”

 

“You have to!”

 

As Weiss is about to yell back, two large creatures descend from the heavens, a larger golden dragon and a large black raven.

 

“Yang!” the dragon and the raven growl at the same time.

 

“Dad?” Yang asks, puzzled and still. “Mom!?”

 

“We were so worried!” Tai exclaims nuzzle Yang’s head with his own. “When I told Raven you were missing, she agreed to help me find you. We’ve been searching for about a year now!”

 

“Foolish girl,” Raven chides. “Come, we must go back.”

 

“No!” Weiss shouts, tugging on Yang’s tail again. “I won’t let you take her!”

 

“You, a mere human, has no say in this,” Raven sneers.

 

“My name is Weiss! And I’m in love with Yang,” Weiss argues passionately. “I won’t let her go so easily; that or she takes me with her.”

 

“Hm, I am Tai Yang, Yang’s father, and that is Raven, Yang’s mother,” Tai introduces himself politely. “I am sorry Weiss, but these things cannot be helped.”

 

“I want to stay,” Yang whispers, speaking up. “I want to stay with Weiss; I love her.”

 

“Foolish girl,” Raven chides again, voice taking on a sad tone. “There’s a reason Tai told you to avoid descending to earth. He loved a mortal woman too once; she was as beautiful as a summer’s rose and just as fragile. Humans, they live too short, and it hurts too deeply.”

 

“I don’t care!” Yang says. “I love Weiss, and I want to be with her.”

 

“I feel the same,” Weiss adds. “I love Yang, and I want to be with her.”

 

Looking between his daughter and Weiss, Tai feels his heart break.

 

“Well, there might be something we can do,” Tai offers.

 

“What?!” Raven barks. “Are you mad?”

 

“One day a year,” Tai continues, ignoring Raven. “This day, the seventh day of the seventh month, I will use my magic to allow Yang to assume her human form again, and Raven will use her birds to create a bridge from the heavens to the peak of this mountain. Yang and Weiss will get the full day together. This is as far as I can bend the rules.”

 

“Fine,” Raven concedes. “One day so don’t you get use to it!”

 

“Thank you, dad,” Yang sniffles, butting heads with her father affectionately before whipping around to hug Weiss.

 

“I’ll come,” Weiss promises, sobbing into Yang’s scales and kissing them between sobs. “I’ll wait for you every year. I’ll wait for our reunion.”

 

“Okay,” Yang agrees, burrowing her snout in Weiss’s hair.

 

With a tearful goodbye, Yang ascends to the heavens with her mother and father while Weiss stays rooted to the earth. Both Yang and Weiss wait faithfully each year for the seventh day of the seventh month so they may have their reunion. And when that much-anticipated day comes, Weiss and Yang once again find themselves in each other’s arms.


	8. Free Day (Coming Out)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set in the first season very close to the beginning because I totally believe that when the girls went doing training and classes, they had fun student stuff to do at Beacon.

“Clubs fair starts tomorrow!” Ruby giggles, dangling her feet off the side of her upper bunk. “I’m going to join the weapons and forging club! Oh! I wonder what else Beacon has! Maybe I’ll join even more clubs if they’re cool!”

 

“You still have school,” Yang warns. “Don’t go overboard.”

 

“A book club,” Blake pipes up, amber eyes glancing out from behind a book. “Beacon has a book club.”

 

“I think I’ll just figure it all out tomorrow,” Yang shrugs.

 

“Weiss?” Ruby invites Weiss to join the conversation.

 

“Extracurricular activities are an excellent way to build skills and network,” Weiss considers. “I suppose I’ll have to have a look tomorrow as well.”

 

“You could join weapons and forging with me!” Ruby suggests.

 

“I think I’ll pass,” Weiss thinks to the forges, the soot, the heat, and the noise.

 

“Well, it’s getting late,” Blake yawns. “You’ll have lots of time to decide tomorrow.”

 

“Night,” Yang and Ruby say simultaneously, crawling under the covers. Weiss turns off the lights, and the room is engulfed in darkness.

 

The following morning follows the usual pattern, four girls crowding the bathroom and sinks, four girls dressing in uniforms, and four girls scurrying out the door eager to start a new day. Vale’s weather is decent this time of year, and clubs fair is held in the quad. Team RWBY splits up once they reach the fair, agreeing to meet up back in their dorm room.

 

“Hmm,” Weiss pauses at the history club’s booth before deciding against it and moving onto the fencing club’s table. Pondering a bit, Weiss decides to join the fencing club, putting her name and scroll contact information on the sign-up sheet. Pleased, Weiss decides to wander around the fair a little more before heading back to dorms.

 

Weiss studies some of the clubs with a critical eye. Hide and seek club? Baking club? Cheese club?! Weiss scowls, shaking her head in dismay. Future huntresses and hunters, wasting time with these meaningless activities! Ridiculous!

 

Seeing enough, Weiss navigates her way through the tables in the direction of the dorms. Weaving through the crowd, Weiss pauses at a table with a bright rainbow banner.

 

“Beacon GSA,” Weiss reads. _‘GSA? What’s that?’_

“Interested?”

 

“Dust!” Weiss shrieks, whirling around to face the voice.

 

“Hey first year,” a woman with aviators on greets. “I’m Coco Adel, and you must be Weiss Schnee.”

 

“You are correct,” Weiss greets. “I’ve heard of your family, the Adel’s. My mother is a big fan of your fashion line.”

 

“Your reputation precedes you as well,” Coco returns. “But none of that here. I saw you eyeing the GSA table.”

 

“Yes, well I... What is that particular club?” Weiss asks.

 

“You don’t know what a GSA is?” Coco asks in disbelief, lowering her aviators to better look at Weiss.

 

“If I knew, I wouldn’t have asked,” Weiss prickles, embarrassed now.

 

“Hey, chill Schnee,” Coco pushes her shades back up, lifting her hands in a show of surrender. “I should’ve know that Atlas Prep wouldn’t have one. Atlas Academy probably doesn’t allow one either, the bastards.”

 

“Yes, well what is it? What don’t they allow?” Weiss asks again, frustrated now.

 

“A gay straight alliance,” Coco answers. “A queer club if you will.”

 

Weiss freezes, jaw dropping.

 

“A what?”

 

“A queer club,” Coco repeats, sighing. “Look, Weiss was it? Weiss, things are different in here in Vale.” Coco hands Weiss a business card; flipping the card over, Weiss sees that it has the contact information of the GSA.

 

“Hit us up if you ever need something,” Coco offers, sauntering off with a quick wave.

 

Weiss stares at the card; reaching a decision, she pockets the card and races back to the dorms. Throwing open the door, Weiss realizes that she is the last one back.

 

“Whoa, let’s keep the door on its hinges there Weiss,” Yang jokes. “Join any cool clubs?”

 

“Fencing club,” Weiss answers succinctly. “I was just looking at some more, uh... unique clubs.”

 

“I joined the book club,” Blake chimes in. “Our first book is _Tales of Vacuo_.”

 

“You already know what I joined,” Ruby grins.

 

“I joined the martial arts club,” Yang grins, smashing her fists together. “I also put my name down for the GSA, Ruby too, but I don’t we’ll go regularly. Maybe just to movie nights and potlucks or something.”

 

Weiss freezes, looking around the room she notices that Blake and Ruby don’t react, going about their lives as if this is a completely normal occurrence. Looking back to Yang, Weiss notices that she is no longer grinning; instead, Yang studies Weiss’s face carefully.

 

“Weiss?” Yang ventures. “Are you alright?”

 

“Oh, just fine,” Weiss forces out. “I’m just perfect!”

 

Yang stares harder before sighing.

 

“Weiss, I’m pansexual; gender doesn’t factor into attraction for me. There, I’m out to you now. If we’re going to be a team, I’m going to be honest with you. I’m not hiding who I am.”

 

“I’m still figuring myself out!” Ruby chirps.

 

Blake only shrugs, subconsciously running a nervous hand over her bow.

 

“Oh, well,” Weiss stammers, looking at the three faces now studying her. “That’s... that’s something!”

 

“Are you nervous around me now?” Yang asks, voice trained into neutrality. “Are you both-”

 

“Of course not!” Weiss snaps. “I’m just facing a little culture shock is all.”

 

Blake’s face softens in understanding.

 

“Atlas?”

 

“And my family,” Weiss nods.

 

“Oh,” Ruby and Yang realize.

 

“The attitude is very different there,” Weiss sighs. “We never had a GSA or anything like it in Atlas Prep, and Atlas Academy doesn’t have one either. Despite the best efforts of the students and General Ironwood, the biases engrained over many generations are hard to lift. Too many people with more money than empathy and brains.”

 

“Shit,” Yang swears under the breath.

 

“That sounds awful,” Ruby cringes. “We had a GSA back in Signal too.”

 

“Pyrrha was telling me earlier that Sanctum and Haven have GSA’s as well,” Yang adds.

 

“I’m fairly certain Shade has one as well,” Blake says.

 

“I- I knew that Beacon and Vale would be more accepting,” Weiss admits. “I just wasn’t expecting a GSA to exist and to be in clubs fair like that, out in the open. I thought it would be hidden, like a dirty little secret.”

 

“Nothing like that,” Yang promises. “Vale isn’t like that! Weiss! Vale, Mistral, and Vacuo are legally open and accepting about this stuff! Vacuo especially!”

 

“The first Faunus-Human marriage was officiated in Vacuo,” Blake pipes in. “They were both women, and it was done decades ago.”

 

“Wow!” Ruby gasps in awe. “That’s so cool! Vale only had it legalized a little over one decade ago!”

 

“I still remember it,” Yang recollects with a sigh. “Mom, dad, and Uncle Qrow had the news on when the legislation passed; they cheered and clapped around the TV. I was just a kid, but I still remember feeling that something momentous had happened, and it did.”

 

Looking to her team members, Weiss feels a slew of repressed words bubble at her throat. Trying in vain to push them back down, the words push into Weiss’s mouth and tumble out.

 

“I-I was so nervous,” Weiss laughs, voice hard with an edge of hysteria. “I was so nervous in Atlas, about anyone finding out. It’s one of the reasons I pushed so hard to come to Beacon. Yang, Ruby, Blake, I-I...”

 

Weiss stops talking, her jaw shaking too hard for words to come out.

 

“Take your time,” Yang soothes, voice soft and sweet. “It’s okay Weiss; you’re safe here.”

 

“I-I,” Weiss stutters, forcing herself to take deep breaths. “I like girls!”

 

Those words out, a torrent of tears is unleashed from Weiss’s eyes, guttural sobs tearing from her throat with the confession. Yang immediately runs over, pulling Weiss into her arms in an all engulfing hug. Ruby and Blake follow suit, surrounding Weiss in warmth and affection.

 

“Shhh, you’re safe,” Yang murmurs, rubbing gentle but firm circles on Weiss’s back.

 

“Thank you for being so brave,” Ruby whispers. “Thank you for trusting us Weiss.”

 

“We promise to not out you,” Yang builds on Ruby’s statement. “We won’t tell anyone without your express permission.”

 

“We accept you,” Blake adds. “You’re still our team mate, our Weiss.”

 

“Thank you!” Weiss blubbers. “I-I... thank you! You guys are the first people I’ve ever told.”

 

Yang only hugs Weiss harder, Ruby and Blake cocooning the girl until she stops sobbing. When Weiss’s shoulders finally stop shaking, Ruby and Blake back away. Yang pulls away, but takes Weiss’s hands in her own.

 

“Weiss,” Yang murmurs still. “Do you want to go to the first GSA meeting? We can go together.”

 

“I’d like that,” Weiss sniffles back. “I’d like that a lot.”


End file.
